Stranger Things Have Happened
by EmeraldWarden
Summary: The Trevelyan family raised Evelyn strictly until the age of nine when they disowned her at the first signs of magic. Cullen was happily recruited for the Templar Order when he was just a teenager. Now the Inquisitor must face both a dark and ancient evil as well as her conflicting feelings for the man that just seem to keep getting stronger day by day.
1. Chapter 1

As one of the heirs to the Trevelyan family, Evelyn consistently had to be on her best behavior, period. That meant looking her best, too. Her long brown hair pulled back into a braid knot, face clear of any dirt, and she was only aloud to wear a dress (unfortunately these were the large frilly ones her mother would have shipped from Orlais). During her childhood she would remain silent in the room unless addressed, greeted people with a curtsy and bow of the head, and would always speak with a strange sense of maturity unlike her younger brother, Garrett. Her father was disappointed to have a daughter instead of a son and had quickly tried for a son after her birth. Her entire life, even while being proper and polite, her father would look at her with an aggravated look which she can still see clearly to this day.

The one thing that she remembered most as a young girl was watching from her bedroom tower, during her studies, at the soldiers that trained in the courtyard, Garrett among them even at his inexperienced age. These soldiers were being trained for both their forces and the Chantry for whatever they wished to do with them which was normally recruiting them for Templar Trevelyan family had strong ties with the Chantry that had been around for centuries and no ruler would dare break them. The eldest daughter dreamed of the day when she would rule; it didn't matter if it would be for the Trevelyan line or for some other noble family through marriage. One day she would watch over the soldiers with power instead a reserved sadness that had been beaten into her, but Evelyn was disowned when she was nine years old, after being sent to the Circle of Magi in Ostwick at the first signs of magical abilities.

The Circle allowed her to express herself much more than her noble family ever did. She did many strange things in this newfound individuality like getting a small tattoo of dots, barely visible, just on the outer skin of her cheek, under her eye, and shaving off the side of her head not purposely but many thought it suited her so she kept it that way ever since. Yes, the Circle allowed her to be who she was, a smart and powerful mage, but there was also many restrictions for being a mage. Although the enchanters taught Evelyn to come out of her shell, the Templars that stood watch during the days and nights managed to instill a permanent terror inside of her. She could feel the eyes on her back as she read a book in the library, practiced enchantments, and even while she slept, mind adrift in the fade. Of course, being one of the most excelling apprentices, she passed her harrowing at the ripe age of just fourteen, amazing both the First Enchanter and the Knight Commander. It only made staying in the Circle for the rest of her life a reality for Evelyn. There was no chance of having a family or getting married, well she could go join the Grey Wardens but what were the possibilities of them actually recruiting her? She had passed her harrowing nearly two years after the Grey Warden Daylen Amell, a mage himself, slayed the Archdemon. Grey Warden recruiters frequented the Circle, but she was always left alone.

A spring of freedom appeared when Circles around Thedas rebelled against the Chantry, seven years later. The mess that happened at the conclave somehow ended the mage up here, as the Inquisitor at Skyhold.

Currently, a certain Dwarf and Navarian were bickering about the Champion of Kirkwall which Varric didn't exactly tell the whole truth about. She had been informed moments earlier about a fight going in the eastern tower, wherever that was. To find the two, she just listened because it was _loud._ The two were in the second floor of a common area which had been vacated when the quarrel had started.

"Oh, sweet Maker." Evelyn muttered to herself, climbing the rickety stairs and pressing her palms into her eyes."Please tell me this is not going to be an ongoing thing?"

"You lied to me!" Cassandra yelled viciously across the room at Varric. "You coniving little shit!" She crossed the room with her powerful long legs and made a wicked, rash swing at the dwarf which he dodged with ease due to his height, A disadvantage or advantage in this situation.

_Hmm, should I intervene or just stay out of it? Do I want to watch Varric die? Yeah, I better intervene. _The mage slammed her hand on a table. "Enough!"

"What could have Hawke, a rebel mage herself, do to help? Do you know the target it would've painted on her back to appear at such a large-"

"But you know where she was! You son of a-" The seeker whipped her sword from it's holster in a flash. Before she could strike the Varric down a blast of energy shot in between the two, pushing them both back aways. The sudden force made them look up at their leader whose hand was raised from just casting the spell. She stepped between the two.

"I said enough!"

"He is the reason Justinia is dead!" Cassandra glared at the Inquisitor with angry tears in her eyes. The mage's heart broke for her, knowing how difficult it was for the Seeker to deal with the unexpected death of the Divine. The anger that consumed Cassandra was just grief coming back for a second turn.

"Dwelling on things in the past will not help us avenge her, Cassandra. You know that." The warrior's head fell down in shame, so the Inquisitor was there to place a reassuring hand on her shoulder, forcing her to look up at her. "Serah Hawke will help us to bring Corypheus to justice. Leave Varric be."

Leisurely receding out of the room, back turned, the dwarf said over his shoulder, looking towards Cassandra apologetically. "Even if Hawke was there, she would be dead too, just like the rest of them."

Then the seeker burst into tears at the remembrance of the charred and mangled bodies that were found at the conclave. She pulled the Inquisitor towards her in a fierce hug. Unsurprised by this gesture, for the two had become increasingly close in the past months, the Inquisitor squeezed her strong shoulders, rubbing her back as the tears poured out from the depths inside her. Evelyn rubbed Cassandra's back, through her heavy armor. The outburst of wails had caused Varric to leave the attic in a haste, shuffling of stubby feet echoing down the stairs.

"I mourn the loss of Divine Justinia, too." There was not much else the mage could think of to say, for she did not know the Divine as personally as her friend had. Nor was she the right person to be comforting a Seeker of the Chantry with her being a mage. "Of course, you have your memories of her, the pleasant ones. Try to remember those for times like these."

A sniffling Navarian pulled away from the inquisitor, eyes puffy, nose red. The loud creaking stairs made Evelyn wipe the remaining tears off of the woman's face as if they were just sisters. The former Templar, now commander of the Inquisition's forces, raced into the room then two steps back seeing the women so close to each other.

"Um, I didn't, uh, mean to interrupt." Naturally, Cullen rubbed the back of his neck like he did in every uncomfortable situation. "I heard yelling and I-"

"There was a dispute but not to worry; it has been solved." Cassandra straightened herself up, repainted her usual stern look on her face, walked out of the attic and jogged down the stairs, brushing past the templar.

Frustrated at the situation, Evelyn plopped down in a dusty chair that remained in the unused room, resuming to the position of her palms pressing into her eyes. "It's all an enormous mess."

"It must be hard," Cullen murmured, strolling over to the inquisitor. She was beautiful, he thought, as his eyes roamed over her familiar features. The curviness of her figure made her Inquisitor robes cling to her body in such away that it shouldn't be allowed. Different, to say the least, Evelyn was not like other women the man had fancied before. Not to say that that was a bad thing. It was just that the few he had wooed, or attempted to, considered themselves as a cultivated people who were above everyone else. The woman before him was a mage, but what mattered more to him was the fact that she was a kind and considerate woman who knew the difference between right and wrong, justice and vengeance. The fact that she was a mage, shockingly, did not bother him in the least. At least, now that is.

The Inquisitor tilted her head at the man as he stared at her, obviously deep in thought. "What do you mean?"

"Leading this," Cullen walked towards one of the only windows in the small space, and motioned for her to follow which she did. A gauntleted hand pointed out to the courtyards down below. "All those people looking up to you. It's a lot of stress no doubt."

Evelyn nodded looking out at her companions who wandered their way about the fortress. "Someone has to do it."

"That does not mean you have to do it alone."


	2. Chapter 2

The fortress was still in ruins from some former attack, and who knows how long ago that was. Long enough that there had been some unwanted vermin lurking in the lower corridors. It was not so noticeable as to it affecting everyday life but the Inquisitor grew impatient upon returning to Skyhold, after a particularly grueling and irritating travel, to find fallen bricks and wooden beams blocking the stairs to her quarters.

"For the love of all that is good and holy!" A frustrated scream echoed throughout the main chamber of the fortress, making heads turn. Everyone who had heard it, from the war room to the dungeons, knew that whatever was about to happen was going to be bad.

Ashes sprayed on the stairwell to the Inquisitor's quarters when she obliterated the wooden beam and brick that had been in the way of her path. The sound reverberated down the chambers and in the main hall startling, once more, the people that were there. Evelyn cursed under her breath, continuing up the stairs, and slamming the door hard behind her.

At that moment, Josephine, Cullen, and Leliana had been discussing the latest issues in the war room. The noise had sent all three running to the Inquisitor's stairs up to her quarters. Smoke from the blast permeated the air, causing a spur of coughing out of the trio. The Commander charged forward past the dust and debris, up the stairs.

"You go and see what happened," Leliana called from below.

The few nobles that had allied with the Inquisition this early were gawking at her obnoxious disregard for manner. A masked Orleasian man grabbed at the Ambassador's arm, pulling her away from the wreckage. "I hope these _outbursts _will not become a regular thing."

He was no doubt speaking of the dispute between Varric and Cassandra days previous as well as this. "I will see into that, My Lord,"

Returning to the charred shambles, Josephine stared in wonder at the destruction of such a simple spell. Amazingly, the stairs were still in tact but the beams were tarnished to a rubble and the tapestries had flames licking at them. "Oh, my. This will take some time."

* * *

The anchor that plagued her hand brightly shown in the dimly lit room, dusk already looming in the distance of the mountains with the orange sun barely peeking over it ragged cool air that emitted off of them made snow flurry into the open doors of Evelyn's room; her anger only rose more at this. The irritation that had caused her to cast the spell that had blown up the ruins was the same irritation that made her hand flick in the air at the doors, forcing them shut at the enchantment's power.

Evelyn began to strip off her sweat slicked robes, flinging pieces in every which way direction of her room. After the Western Approach, sand and sweat were a lethal combination on the Inquisitor's body, mind and clothes. There was no doubt in her mind that she would surely have to buy new ones which was bittersweet as she had been meaning to for sometime but really did like this armor. She had had the set for a great deal of time and it meant something to her. A scoff came unexpectedly out of her own mouth as she looked at the worn material in her hands. The insignificance of clothes had always been one of her beliefs; they were meant to be worn nothing more. It did not matter what color they were, or if it just so happened to be a little too low cut of a neckline for an unmarried woman. It did not matter to the Inquisitor because it was now finally her choice. The remembrance of frilly dresses with wide skirts flitted through Evelyn's mind, a grin smearing across her face. Her imagination ran wild at the thought of what her mother's face would look like if she saw what now she wore on a regular basis. Yes, she was definitely glad that part of her life was over.

An unexpected return normally was brought on by either an urge to get back to see what her advisors had accomplished or the Inquisitor's human nature in just wanting everyone to leave her alone. And this time it was the latter. Endless dunes constantly tricked the mind and the mirages that the scorching sun caused only made the danger greater. The journey did not go terrible by any means, but it for sure could have gone better, you know, without all the demons and corpses and such.

The bathroom that was attached to her quarters was no luxurious thing. A simple tub made of scraps of melted metal combined into a dark brown color, a spigot that released hot water on good days, and three wooden buckets were all that took up the small space. She gathered the necessary things for a bath, not really paying attention, and went through a mental checklist for what things she wished to get the next time she visited Val Royeaux. Sweet spices, creamy soaps, and decadent oils were poured into the bath water by idly working hands. Varric would put it as 'Her mind is in a different place'. She remembered that he had made that remark a few weeks early when they were at the Stormed Coast. Cole had made a comment about how that it was impossible, only he could do that.

Lowering her damaged body into the steaming water, she thought to herself, _new robes for myself, polishing oils for Varric, Blackwall said he needed ironbark, Bull mentioned something about tail (like that will happen), poisoned tipped arrows for Sera if they have any in stock… _The oils she had infused in the warm water instantly relaxed her tense muscles, soothing the burns that covered her skin. The scent of vanilla and jasmine filled her nose. Everything felt so good. She submerged the rest of her head in the water, holding her breath.

* * *

Cullen knocked softly at the door, unsure whether it was a good idea to disturb her in an aggravated state. No answer. During his time as a Templar, in both the Fereldan and Kirkwall Circles, he had dealt with angry mages before, but this different. She was more than a mage. She was his friend. With a worried sigh, the commander pushed the wooden door open. He took caution up the steps to main living area. The large airy room was cold as well as empty, he noticed. _Odd. _There was no fire in the fireplace, candles unlit. He made his way over to the fireplace, starting one with ease; it started to burn and roar like ferocious lion. Pleased partly, Cullen took a small twig and used it to light the candles placed precariously around the room. The woman that was called Inquisitor was a strange one, having certain things placed in certain places, candles placed exactly where they should be. Satisfied with his small accomplishment, he turned to leave, but, suddenly, he heard the sound of water splashing slipping, a murmur maybe? The sun had set leaving the room dim with only the flicker of the candles and the fire lighting the area. Taking a few short steps towards the sound, Cullen said, voice bold in the brisk air, "Inquisitor?"

_I would make an excellent fish, _Evelyn thought because she had been holding her breath for some time now. She let her head rise above the water so she could take a deep breath, her ample breasts rising over top of them water then falling underneath. In moments like these, as she admired her own body (a rarity), she pondered why she had never been loved or never sought out a love. She shook her head, making water droplet fly out of her silky hair. _I bet if the Inquisition knew just how weird I am they would not have made me Inquisitor. No, they probably would with the anchor and all. _The bristles of the scrubbing brush tickled her skin as she attacked the dirt that seemed to linger there permanently. She could feel the dirt lifting off of her skin when she washed over the tanned skin with a bar of soap. Along with the smell of jasmine and vanilla, the soap added the sweet smell of honey. Evelyn decided it was time that her bath was over.

* * *

The man continued his way through the mage's room, taking note of little things like the painting of a young family she had put up and the maps of Orlais and Fereldan sprawled across her writing desk. Her mage robes or undergarments that were scattered on the floor, thrown carelessly aside were not noticed by the man, however. The sound of movement in the back chambers drew his attention in, and since the wooden door was swung open Cullen stepped into the room to find the Inquisitor back turned to him, naked standing out of the tub. The intrusion was a loud one, for Cullen had slammed hard back into the door upon seeing Evelyn in all her pure glory. She looked back at the noise, shocked to see him, mouth agape; her hands flew to cover herself, fumbling over her full breasts. The emotions on her face were a mix of surprise, fear, and anger.

"Maker, forgive me!" The templar turned a beet red, wanting to turn away, to look away from the exposed woman, but couldn't; his legs refused to budge. He felt a tightening sensation in his trousers. He tried, failing, to will the hardness to go away or just to not be seen by the naked woman.

"Get out!" Evelyn screamed. Cullen was happy to oblige (legs remembering how to function properly), running out the door of the bathing room, out of her quarters, and down the stairs, passing Josephine and Leliana who were still cleaning up the mess the Inquisitor had made. The templar sprinted out of the main chamber and across the main courtyard, still blushing, the night air doing nothing to calm his scalding cheeks. He took the steps up to his office two at a time; he needed to get as far away as possible. Away from his foolish mistake. Cullen walked briskly into the office, forcefully closing the door shut. A chill ran down his spine at the thought of the Inquisitor's nude body. It was his first time ever seeing a woman completely bare. Surely he had done some things out of lust like a many people do. It was fast and greasy and, most of all, regrettable. An ironclad fist pounded on his desk, breaking a single plank of wood in half and rattling the bowls and things on top of it. One powerful memory in particular took up a storm in his imagination, one of pure lust and greed.

"I need to pray," Cullen gulped, heading to the chantry's keep.

* * *

Evelyn had grabbed a towel, wrapping it securely around her dripping body, after Cullen's intrusion. The quick moment had left her feeling exhilarated and bizarre, but then embarrassment followed. She made her way out to her living quarters and flung herself on her grand bed, humiliated. Being someone who is supposed to lead fearlessly, who is supposed to be looked up to there was no room for petty things such as this. But there were so many things people did not tell her that would go along with being Inquisitor. Like that people will discriminate against you because you're a mage (well come now Evelyn, people already did that to you). How to fix a fortress in ruins? Nope, they certainly did not inform her about how to do that. Or what to do if a trickster dwarf and a Seeker get into a fight. What to do with a spirit named Cole who would disappear and reappear at the most inconvenient of times, make people forget them after he reads their minds? There was no textbook on that. Believe her! She had checked. And they especially do not tell you that your Commander of your Army may walk in on you when you are undressed. Frustrated tears threatened her, but, no, this was not something to cry over. The conclave was something to cry over. Haven was something to cry over.

Thankfully for Evelyn, she did have one person to turn to: the Maker, someone she had learned to trust no matter what the circumstances. Rummaging through her wardrobe she pulled out a plain shift dress she had gotten recently from Denerim (Maker bless Josephine). The clean fabric against freshly washed skin was a welcome distraction for her unease. After dressing she made her way down the slightly demolished stairs for the keep. She was wanting, or, searching for guidance from someone who would never fail her.


	3. Chapter 3

Early in her time at Skyhold Evelyn had found a secret passage from her chambers to the upper corridors of the keep. On her way out of her room she had grabbed an old thick book and a cloak to hide her face just in case anyone was out and about at this hour. She wasn't in the mood for "Inquisitor, can you help me with-" or "Inquisitor what are you doing-" or "Inquisitor may I assist you-". Surely everyone had gone to bed, but there were still watch guards on patrol on the lookout for Corypheus or any attackers for that matter. Tonight she wanted to be just Evelyn Trevelyan, the disowned princess. Not that pretty of a title compared to the Inquisitor, but take what you can get.

The normally heavy book felt light in her hands, for the months of constant battles had built up muscle she didn't know existed in her. Pages were falling out of the book, the image on the cover stained and long since faded. That didn't matter to her though. She had had this book for as long as she could remember. It was the Chant of Light. She took a great solace in reading the stories of Andraste and the Maker; it took her away from the turmoil that took control on her daily life. Brought her back to a better time when things were alright. And, frankly, Andraste was enduring a greater plight than she, although Evelyn supposed Corypheus could rival that.

Her bare feet, still slippery from the bath, slapped against the stone pathway of the corridor. The door in sight, Evelyn had a moment of calming excitement like she had been waiting for something for an entire year. The door swung open with only a faint push. It revealed numerous lit candles all casting a glow on the statue of the most holy Andraste. Since the fort had been abandoned for some unknown reason not everything was in shape. The statue was covered in untamed vines, candle holders knocked over, and a thin layer of dust covered everything but the altar, having been recently used by other worshipers. Book held against her chest, the mage rushed to the altar eagerly taking a seat before the stone woman. A soothing presence washed over her like a second bathing; under the presence of Andraste granted her that the embarrassment and humility be replaced with a confidence. Albeit that Andraste was in statuette form here. Evelyn leafed through the book slowly before stopping at her favorite passage about halfway through.

"Here we go," She smiled brightly. She started to read: _There was no word for Heaven or for earth, for sea or sky. All that existed was silence. Then the Voice of the Maker rang out… _

The words ebbed and flowed through her mind and soul filling her with confidence. This was the best verse in her mind. Her mother used to read this to her when she still lived at home. At night before she went to sleep, Evelyn would say, "Mama, Mama! Read the one!" Her mother knew of which she spoke because it was the only one she had paid attention to, but she would entertain her child, her only and most precious child. As a young girl, Evelyn didn't think she really understood the meaning of the passage. But here, sitting below the Bride of the Maker, she understood it in her own way.

* * *

Guards saluted the Commander as he passed by them even though he was in off duty clothes. He shook his head after he walked by them. he was sure that he told them there was no need for such formalities when they weren't working, technically. The Keep, at least he thought, would be vacant at this late hour. After the fiasco that had happened with the Inquisitor he needed to ask for forgiveness. To her and the Maker. What he saw of her it lead to wicked things. He pushed open the wooden door to the keep's entrance, and surprised, twice in one night, at what he saw.

The door opened silently, but then shut with a thud. Evelyn's head snapped up at the sudden entrance of a dark figure inside the Keep, hidden in the shadows. She closed the chant in a hurry, a few pages fluttering out. "Oh my,"

Dropping to her knees to pick up the pages, the figure scurried forward to assist the woman. She looked up, but now she hit heads with the person trying to help her. The Inquisitor fell back on her butt, hand flying up to her forehead. A dull pain pounded against her temple. She repeated, "Oh my,"

"Inquisitor! I-I-" The Commander's voice, so suave on a regular basis, faltered.

Anger, mortification, and a strange different feeling that Evelyn had never felt before exploded out of her, all of her pain from her head receding to the back of her mind. "You!"

Cullen retracted back from her, expecting a hit from the fierce woman, but before she could he yelled, "I am sorry!"

"What?" The words 'I' and 'am' and 'sorry' were not ones she was on the receiving end of, rather the other way around. Her silver tongue always led her down the path of trouble. Thankfully less trouble now that she was finally the one in charge.

"I'm sorry. I was only in your room because there was an explosion, and we weren't sure if you were all right. We as in Josephine, Leliana, and myself. We had ran into the stairwell and there was smoke and they wanted me to go check on you. Well they hadn't specifically said 'Cullen go see if she's alright'. I think they were just afraid to see you. I didn't mean to walk in on you-you," All the words rushed out of his mouth like he couldn't get them out fast enough. Cullen picked up the withering book and handed it to the Inquisitor. She practically ripped it out of his hands.

"Let's not speak of it, if you would please."

"Of course, Inquisitor. I just wanted to apologi-"

"Do not speak of it," Evelyn ordered. Can't she just have an hour, one damn hour, to be herself not the Inquisitor. She closed her eyes forcefully, wishing to escape this nightmare. Under her breath she muttered, "Why must everyone insist on being so formal? Can't someone just call me by my first name and have a regular pleasant conversation for once?"

Cullen's hand reached for her hand that had steadied herself on the floor from her fall. "Evelyn,"

Her eyes opened to look into his. No words could describe the spark that emerged between the two. Their breathing was in rhythm with each other. Cullen noted how large her chest was and remembered the look of it bare. This time he didn't feel ashamed to think of her in that way. The man's off duty clothes showed off how chiseled his jaw and neck were, different from his usual armor that covered the area pompously in his pauldrons.

"I came here to read," Evelyn said softly, holding up the old book.

"And I to pray,"

The Inquisitor stood and whipped her hands on her dress, then resumed her place sitting under the statute. "We best get to it then."

A wry smile took a spot on the man's face. "As you say,"

The night went on and the two tried to ignore each other. Actually, Cullen looked over at the mage every few minutes while she tried to ignore his ever present gawks. Evelyn read the tale that she knew by heart. She softly muttered the words subconsciously as her eyes went over them on the yellowed page, the script reuniting with her mind as if it were an old friend. The sound of her voice had caused the Commander's ear to perk up.

"Immutable, as the substance of earth, with souls made of dream and idea, hope and fear," Evelyn bit the bottom of her full lip, amazed at the poeticness of the verse. "Endless possibilities."

"Then the Maker said: to you, my second born so, I grant this gift: in your heart shall burn an unquenchable flame all consuming, and never satisfied." A deep voice said these words. Evelyn looked out of the corner of her eye at him before turning her head all the way to stare at him. She studied him curiously as he recited the words with a smooth flow. "From the fade I crafted you, and to the fade you shall return each night in dreams that you may always remember me."

"And the Maker sealed the gates of the Golden City," Evelyn said, closing the chant.

"And there he dwelled, waiting to see the wonders his children would create." As he finished the last line he stood from his kneeling position. He took three long strides slowly to the Inquisitor, and sat down next to her on the altar's steps. That wry little smiled that had been on his lips before was now wider in a sort of grin. "Threnodies 5:1"

The mage gulped and nodded in confirmation.

One single lock of hair had fallen in front of her strange emerald eyes and the Commander tucked the stray piece behind her ear. She gulped once again, eyes locked on his lips. "I-I think it's time for me to go to bed,"

Before he could say anything in return, she sprung up under the altar and sprinted like a deer out of the room and out into the corridor, door slamming behind her. Book clutched to her chest as before, she scampered down the hallways, bare feet padding her footfalls. While she ran she couldn't help but think about what it would be like: his lips pressing to hers. Would he be gentle like he portrayed in person? Or was there a different, wild side to the Commander? A tortured Templar perhaps? He seemed to be the perfect epitome of what a kisser should be. Just the thought of him touching her like that, intimately but not sexually, was enough to make her panties slick with her juices. She knew it was going to be a long and restless night, for the Commander would be the only thing on her mind.


	4. Chapter 4

On a bright Summer's Eve day, the Inquisitor and her party entered the gates of the merchant city of Val Royeaux. The Iron Bull, Varric, and Sera made snide remarks to the pampered citizens who would go out of their way to gawk whereas Evelyn would just try to hide her face with her hood. Being an apostate (as well as now recently being appointed Inquisitor) was not something to flaunt; it could wind you up with a blade at your throat. Orlais wasn't just famous for its fancy attire, but also some very cutthroat assassins, no pun intended. Evelyn had a soon confirming suspicion that some very high nobles would pay a great price for her head, or Venatori for her hand.

Varric swaggered up to Evelyn in a strange joyful manner. "Come now, Inquisitor. You don't have to be serious all the time."

"Well, the only time I'm not serious is when I'm in the bed," She said sarcastically, making all three of them laugh obnoxiously. More stares ensued which was followed by more remarks from the dwarf, elf, and qunari, and more embarrassed head lowering by their leader. "Can we just do what we came here to do?

They met with a few nobles, made arrangements, and solved issues during the day. Orleasians were not the most pleasant of people to deal with Evelyn declared in her mind. The group of them were hungry and tired as the crimson sun set over the bay, so they stopped at the local tavern. The Inquisitor bought them all pints of ale and something to eat, watching the sky turn dark. She picked at the hard bread on her plate. "You would expect Orleasian food to be…"

"Appetizing?" Varric offered.

"Stupid?" Sera said.

"Bigger?" Bull laughed out.

Evelyn rolled her eyes. "No, I was thinking more taste wise. This is not very good, but better than the Circle's crap, I guess."

The outrageous trio managed to relax the Inquisitor enough to get her smiling. It all went uphill from there. They shared stories of their adventures while they ate their mediocre food.

"So, Rivanni and Daisy booked it all the way to the Hanged Man from hightown," Varric said enthusiastically. Evelyn had to admit he could spin up one hell of a story, but maybe the ale took a part in her amusement as well. "Rivanni comes up to me all out of breath and says," Varric imitated the busty pirate, Isabella, horribly, " 'Hawke, Hawke... is wearing a dress,"

This got Sera and Evelyn to laugh until tears gathered in their eyes, but Bull just looked confused. A drunken Varric passed atop of the table, swaying his hips. The bull pounded his fist on the table to get Varric's attention. "Wait, Hawke's a chick?"

Varric and the Inquisitor laughed together. "You didn't know that? Anyway, someone, probably Fenris, got Hawke so smashed she traded in her Champion Armor and staff for this big puffy Orleasian dress. Ah, Good times,"

"Hawke's a mage?!"

* * *

Sometime after they all had finished their meals, and a pint or two, Sera and Varric decided to have a drinking contest. At this time the entire tavern was watching them like they were on display, but they were all beyond the point of caring due to the help of alcohol.

"Let's do this, Shorty!" Sera yelled over her shoulder as she grabbed four pints of the amber liquid from the bartender, two in each hand. The bearded man behind the bar looked at the elf angrily then at the Inquisitor who held up her bag of gold to say it would be paid for. He shrugged to himself, and then went to tend to his other patrons.

The Iron Bull and Evelyn sat back watching the two in front of them. They both thought it best to drink ale at their own pace. As the Inquisitor took a large gulp out of her mug she saw Bull look at her mischievously, wiggling his eyebrows, out of the corner of her eye.

"Maker, what now?" Evelyn said wiping froth off of her upper lip.

"This will be good," The Qunari said with a hint of humor and motioned to the elf and the dwarf. "Any bets?"

"I suppose," She fought through the haze that began to cloud her mind. _Dwarves are known for the alcohol tolerance, but Sera has that spark in her eyes. The one that she gets before she attacks someone... _"My money's on Varric. How much we making this? Ten silver?"

"Silver! Please,"

"Fine! Five sovereigns," After she left the Circle of Ostwick coin was a necessity and thankfully she had saved it up before the rebellion. But, now, she was able to squander her money as she wished, not that she needed to. She only used her money for armor, weapons, or the occasional beer. What was losing five gold when she had so much more back at Skyhold?

"That's what I'm talking about!" The Bull roared.

"Alright, alright! Here's the rules and regulations," Sera yelled over the commotion of the tavern. Everything was dim; the only light was that of lanterns and the firepit ablaze. The group was one of many patrons tonight. Out of her bag the elf pulled out an hourglass, a piece of parchment, ink, and a pen. "We each got one hour to drink as many pints as possible. Simple, yeah?"

Varric nodded as he cracked his knuckles. "This will be fun,"

"Our lovely Inquisitor will keep track of time, yeah?"

Evelyn raised her mug in confirmation.

* * *

Sera ended up winning but that was only because five minutes before the hour was up Varric passed out on the floor. The Inquisitor decided they were all a little too tipsy to be traveling to Skyhold tonight.

"Grab him. I got her," Bull shakily stood up and threw the sleeping dwarf over his shoulder.

"Come on, Sweety," Evelyn strung the elf's arm across her shoulders.

"I won, didn't I?" She began to giggle uncontrollably and pointed at Varric slumped body. "Take that you damn dwarf!"

"Boss, know any inns around here?"

They stumbled out of the doorway of the tavern. "Just one,"

* * *

Evelyn woke up to the sound of Varric's snoring. Perhaps it was that or someone was smashing something against her head repeatedly. She had never been this hungover before. When they arrived at the Crooked Goose Inn there had only been one room left, so Bull and Evelyn decided to throw the two drunks together on the bed. The Inquisitor took refuge on the floor in front of the window with a single blanket. Bull slept in a wooden chair next to the door the entire night.

Cautiously, she stood up, flimsy blanket falling off of her battlemage armor. The whole world seemed to spin furiously. Her headache only intensified as she started walking across the room towards Bull, and she let out a small groan when a crap attacked her side.

"Hey, Boss, got my coin?" Bull joked quietly, eye still closed.

"Fuck off," Evelyn muttered. She took two more struggling steps towards the table they had thrown their bags and coats on. Plopping down, she took her bag in her lap, taking ink, quill, and parchment out. A crude scrawl made itself on the paper. "Hopefully, Josephine will get this soon."

"Where the hell are they?" Cassandra yelled entering the dining hall. It was late in the afternoon, and the Inquisitor had been gone for two days now. Cullen sat staring at his full plate, chewing on his bottom lip. Everytime she was away he felt a piece of himself go with her. Maker, he missed her. The nights previous he had been struggling for sleep, anxiety for her safety, but also remembering that night in the sanctuary. What would've happened if their lips meet…

"No need to worry. I was sent a message this morning. They will return sometime tonight." Josephine answered. "Where's the milk?"

Cullen let out a sigh of relief and everyone, including the cooking staff, looked at him. He gulped and tried to think of something to say. "I, uh, just remembered where I left my sword. It's in my quarters. Yes, that it is."

Everyone slowly started to return to their business, wondering what has changed in the Commander.

* * *

"Inquisitor, a word?" The Ambassador, sitting in her overly large desk chair, looked up from her paperwork to ask this.

In the corner of the room Cullen watched as the two women talked over Josephine's desk. Leliana strolled over to the Commander. A soft chiuckle, only heard by the rogue, rose out of the man. He laughed at the little crease that appeared in between the Inquisitor's eyebrows. She had arrived the night before to everyone's delight. A wave of relief had consumed him when he looked out his window to see Evelyn standing on her balcony in the moonlight.

"You are no better than a schoolgirl," Leliana muttered to him, snapping him out of his thoughts.

"What?" Cullen turned to her with a look of confusion.

"Oh, come now. It is rather obvious to us all that you have come to care for our leader." She had a knowing smile on her face.

He started to turn red as if she just found out a horrible secret of his. Like in any uncomfortable situation, Cullen began to rub the back of his neck and look around, avoiding eye contact. Leliana laughed walking over to join the two women. "Oh, Maker, help me."


	5. Chapter 5

_ A reviewer pointed out to me that I had a flaw on a bit of information I had in my first chapter. And being the lazy person that I am I'm just going to roll with it in the story. Thanks for reviewing __GreenEyedSam! I really appreciate and your review was actually the inspiration for this chapter. Slumber Party!_

* * *

A few days after the return of the Inquisitor, Sera, Bull, and Varric some merchants delivered an oversized luxurious bed from Val Royeaux. A guard called the Inquisitor over, puzzled.

"This came for you, Sir," The man scratched his chin looking at the bed then the Inquisitor.

"Maker," Evelyn said. Being intoxicated in a city known for it's goods was not a smart thing. She must have bought it sometime between leaving the tavern and arriving at the Inn that night. Mad at herself, the Inquisitor's hands rubbed at her temples."Just have them put it in my room, and get rid of the old one I suppose,"

Sera caught all that had transpired from the upper levels of the courtyard and ran down to Evelyn excitedly. "It's here!"

"Did you know about this?" The mage shook her head. _Of course she would have something to do with this._

"I recall something of the sort."

The Inquisitor sat on the steps leading to the upper courtyard. She had a look on her face that said she was thinking very hard about something. "How is that even possible? You were at least twice as drunk as I was."

"Magic," The elf waggled her fingers in Evelyn's face before running off to follow the merchants, laughing like a lunatic all the way.

* * *

Sera had insisted that the Inquisitor should throw a girls only slumber party of sorts to celebrate her new bed; she agreed without much hesitation even though it was an odd request. The elf fluttered around that day making arrangements for it while others went about their work. Evelyn did her best to ignore her running through the halls.

"Come on! Come on!" The elf pulled her friend up the stairs to her quarters. After dinner all of her female friends had headed there, and all of them were in their nightgowns except Evelyn who was still in her Inquisitor robes. Cassandra walked around the airy room with arms crossed as if she were waiting for something. Josephine sat straight up on the floor, legs folded under her, while Leliana stood above her braided her dark hair, humming a sweet tune. Harding lounged on one of the large couches, a report in one hand and a mug filled with ale in the other. When the two entered the room they all looked up and smiled.

"Everyone showed up, yeah?" Sera clapped her hands giddy, but then her face turned sour like she had was tasting a lemon. Evelyn ran into her bathroom with her night gown in hand to change. She heard the elven woman yell, "Where's that stick in the mud mage?"

"I'm in here!"

The dwarven scout yelled back giggling, "No, I think she means, Vivienne."

The Orleasian mage never had liked the Inquisitor because they tended to disagree on everything (like the freedom of mages for instance). It didn't surprise Evelyn in the slightest that she didn't show up. Maybe it was better that she hadn't. She walked out of her bathroom finally happy that Sera decided to do this. "I don't care,"

The women all looked up at the Inquisitor. Leliana spoke up. "Meaning?"

"Then we won't have a rooty snooty Orleasian telling us how to have fun," Sera said stuffing her face with a cream puff.

"Couldn't have put it better myself," Evelyn said although she was pretty sure that the Knight Enchanter wasn't actually from Orlais. Sera had shipped up a few bottles of wine and ale, some sweets, and extra blankets and pillows to her room. She had never had had a party like this in the past; it was all a new experience. The mage grabbed an open bottle of honey wine and tilted it up to her mouth, the liquid a much needed relaxer. She raised the bottle in the air toasting everyone. "Let this be a night to remember,"

* * *

In the main corridor Varric had gathered his friends for a drink around a large table. The dwarf figured that if the women can have a night all to themselves why not the men? He had invited all of the Inquisitors companions including Cullen. _We'll have some fun messing with him. _The only one who hadn't shown up was Solas, but he tended to keep to himself.

"Ghost boy, are you gonna drink up or not?" Varric nudged the mug towards him a little more.

"It shiny like gold yet not solid," Cole reached a finger into his mug to touch the liquid.

"We going to play Wicked Grace then?" Blackwall asked as he shuffled the thick cards.

"I don't really remember how to play," Cullen mumbled and he got up to leave. "I have some paperwork."

Bull pounded his fist on the table halting all movement. "Those damn females are having the time of their lives right now and you just want to go do some work?" As if on cue, loud laughter of women reigned down from the stairs. Cullen sat down with a thud, an envious look on his face.

"Now now Bull dear there isn't any need to be rash." Dorian rubbed his hand over the qunari's arm. The two had started a relationship some time ago and the news had spread like wildfire. Maliciously, the Tevinter looked at each of the men at the table then looked up towards the sound of the women. "I'm sure we can think of something to do,"

* * *

The women were strewn across the gigantic bed that was covered in multiple pillows, all a little tipsy. Leliana started to braid Harding's hair and declared she would get to the Inquisitor's whether she liked it or not. Josephine had suggested they play a game in which they each ask someone a personal question and they have to answer it truthfully.

"That sounds a little invasive!" Cassandra exclaimed. She nervously messed with her short hair.

The spymaster reached for one of the bottles of wine that sat on the floor next to the bed. "That's the whole point."

"Oi, I wanna go first!" Sera said waving her arms in the air. "Cassandra how was growing up in Orlais?"

"I am not Orleasian! I'm Navarraian!" She fluffed a big pillow before throwing herself stomach first on top of it.

"Navarrian. Orleasian. What's the difference?" Sera said shoving a small piece of cake in her mouth.

The seeker glared at the elf. "There is a huge difference!"

Evelyn rubbed Cassandra's back, and gave her look that said 'Try to have fun'. Pouting, the woman huffed exasperated.

"Leliana," Josephine said, continuing on the game. "You say you knew the Hero of Ferelden. How well did you know this man?"

The spymaster was surprised by the question. "Um, we were close."

Sera poked Leliana in the ribs with her elbow, wiggling her eyebrows. "Close,"

"We were together, yes, but after he dealt with the archdemon he had his duties to the Grey Wardens and I had mine to the Chantry,"

A moment of silence rang through the air. Everyone had lost someone from the last Blight it seemed. Everyone had to make a hard choice at some point. All of their lives were plagued with tragedy, and it was times like these that mattered to keep them sane.

"I think I have one," Harding said sipping at her drink. "Inquisitor-"

"I'm not the Inquisitor tonight," Evelyn smiled happily at the thought of the little freedom that gave her.

"Right. Evelyn Trevelyan," The dwarven women drew out her long name in the fancy it way it was supposed to be pronounced. "What's going on between you and Cullen?"

* * *

The Tevinter mage, the dwarf, the qunari and the commander quietly walked up the stairs. Dorian had declared that they were going to spy on the girls. When they had inquired why he simply said why not. Blackwall thought it best to stay with the kid, Cole, make sure he wouldn't get into any trouble and all that.

"I'm not sure this is a good idea," Cullen voiced as they reached the door to her quarters.

"Can it, Curly! They'll hear us!" Varric checked to see if the door was locked, and when he realized it was not he turned the handle. The rogue walked sneakily in and halfway up the steps motioning for them to follow. He peered through the little handrail that separated the staircase from the room. The rest of the men followed suit.

"Well? There is something happening between you two. We've all seen it." Leliana said and nudged Evelyn's arm. They all gave examples.

"Making puppy eyes across the war table,"

"Sitting next to each other at dinner,"

"Secret kisses?" Sera smirked.

"No! But there is something. Maybe. I-I don't know," She ran her fingers through her hair long hair and then messaged the shaved area.

"That's a terrible answer!" Harding cried.

"But I really don't know. He's a great man. I would like for it to be more." The mage smiled blissfully.

The Iron Bull looked at Cullen. His face was deadset on Evelyn's listening intently. The man didn't seem to understand that they were talking about him. He smacked his lightly on the back of the head.

"Ow! What?!" Cullen yelled. There was no sound in the room but the sound of breathing. Then rushed footsteps of a single women.

"Nugshit," Varric muttered.

Evelyn glared down at the men at the top of her stairs power inI her eyes. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

All of them hesitated a second, so the Inquisitor shot a fireball just above their heads. "Leave!"

Varric, Dorian, and Bull all turned and ran out the door getting the message loud and clear. Cullen looked into her eyes pleading. Her face dissolved from that of angry deity to one of a sad little girl. She walked back to her bed, tears starting to fall. "Just go,"

A shattering sensation raked through his chest. _My heart just broke. _He stumbled his way down her stairs, his feelings in shambles. _I have to make this up to her. I have to fix this._

* * *

Evelyn crumbled on the bed after the door closed. Her friends attempted to comfort her. Tears ran down her face, and her nose was red from sniffling for minutes on end. There was no doubt that the embarrassment she was feeling was so strong because she felt something for the man. Sera pulled her up by her shoulders forcing her to look in her eyes.

"Oi, come on look at me! This is what going to do! We're going to get really drunk, stuff our faces, and have a good laugh, yeah?. Who cares about them? Fuck them!" She handed the Inquisitor a half full bottle of wine.

Evelyn looked at the bottle before shakily grabbing it. She held it up in the air for another toast. Her voice hoarse from crying she yelled, "Fuck them!"

Everyone raised their glass or bottle and cheered, "Fuck them!"

* * *

_I wrote this chapter in just two days so there may or may not be some errors with it. I'm really surprised at how fast I'm writing this story, so the next chapter will probably be out Friday or Saturday. If you or anyone you know would enjoy my other fanfic please do so because I'm considering just doing a quick ending because I have over double of readers and ratings for this story than that one. I probably sound like a lonely ex-girlfriend right now with how desperate I am, sorry. Anyway thanks for reading once again! I do this all for you guys. _


	6. Chapter 6

_I'm going to sound like a huge narcissist, but I'm going to say it anyway. I'm super proud of myself because I wrote and edited this entire chapter in one day. Evelyn and Cullen are starting to finally connect. YAY!_

* * *

"Inquisitor?" A guard stepped forward as he walked by her to reach out and catch the woman from falling. She seemed dazed a veil clouding her usually bright eyes. It was the time during the night where one couldn't decipher if it was early in the morning or late at night. The guard hesitantly helped the mage stand up. He quickly let go of her because he thought It may be considered inappropriate to do so due to the fact the Inquisitor was dressed in only her thin nightgown. "Are you alright?"

She was not. Sera had fulfilled her declaration, succeeding at getting Evelyn drunk as a dwarf, but it only dulled her sorrows minimally. After her friends had all fallen asleep atop of her new ginormous bed, she had gotten up and wandered through her secret passageway down to the lower corridors. She aimlessly thought about the man she was hopelessly afflicted with: Cullen. Her mind ran around in circles remembering his face when she had found them snooping on the stairs. His expression has been one if sadness, shock, and guilt. _What did he hear? What didn't he hear? Did he feel the same? _She looked up to the guard who was still awaiting an answer.

"Um, y-yes. Maybe," She tried to pass herself off as sober, straightening her shoulders and running her hands through her hair, but even she could smell the wine on her breath. Sternly she said, "Nothing of your concern that is. Where is Commander Cullen?"

The demanding tone from someone in higher rank had the soldier inside the guard snap to attention. "I was told that he returned to his quarters more than two hours ago, Sir."

Evelyn looked to the tower that Cullen claimed as his office and sleeping area, a smile induced by alcohol spread on her face."That is all."

"As you say, Sir. Have a goodnight." The guard stepped back, returning to his patrol. The mage continued her way through the corridor at her own leisurely pace, a drunken sway to her hips, and a plan forming in the back of her mind.

* * *

The elven archer woke up, after someone pulled one of her wool blankets away from her. She looked around the dark room. The moon shone through the large windows leaving a crescent shaped imprint on the floor. The roaring fire had burned down to coals as the women had slept. All seemed to be right with the world at this very moment to Sera.

"Hey, Evy?" She whispered quietly as to not wake the others. The form she had thought was the Inquisitor beside her was actually a mass of blankets she realized when she reached over to shake it. "Dammit!"

The outburst from the elf had Cassandra, Leliana, and Harding awake in an instant, their fighting instincts kicking in. The seeker sprung up off the bed understanding immediately what had happened. It took Josephine and the others a few moments to understand what was going on.

"Oi, come on! She's gone! We gotta go find her," Sera yelled pulling at mangled arms legs to get them out of bed. "Let's get a move on!"

They all left in a rush, sprinting down the flights of stairs in search of their missing friend.

* * *

The disowned Trevelyan princess was standing outside of the Commander's quarters, hand poised to knock on the wooden door, but suddenly she was struck with a pang of fear that froze her to her spot. Her arm fell, swinging at her side like a pendulum. Everything she had thought to say escaped her mind with a whoosh. She sat down on the stone wall and looked out at the snow covered mountain peaks.

"What am I doing?" Evelyn muttered to herself. Cullen now knew of her feelings for him and he had looked absolutely terrified about it. The few times they had been alone together, after Cassandra and Varric had their fight and in the Chantry keep, she had been awkward and distant. It didn't make any sense she mused; she thought him to be absolutely perfect. Some romantic she was.

"There you are!" Cassandra ran up to her out of breath, the rest of the slumber party girls behind her also panting. "What do you think you're doing?"

Eyes watery, Evelyn said,"I just asked myself that," She slid down the wall to the stone ground drunken sobs erupting out of her mouth from somewhere deep down inside her soul. "Is this what love feels like?"

The Inquisitor's friends circled her all sitting around her like she was a scared animal. Josephine, since she sat directly next to her, pulled Evelyn into her body for a hug.

"I do not think many of us can answer that. Except," Josephine didn't finish her sentence, but instead tilted her dark eyes up. Everyone turned their heads to look at the spymaster who sat in front of Evelyn.

Leliana sighed, a sad smile on her face. It seemed that it was an ever present feature when she thought about him, The Hero of Ferelden. "Yes, this is what it feels like. Sucks, no?"

"It's all bullshit," Evelyn huffed whipping away the tears. "Such a stupid thing to cry over,"

"Look, I will come up with the revenge stuff. You sleep off that hangover, yeah?" Sera said tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "Come on. Let's get you back to bed."

* * *

Cullen sat in the dining hall during breakfast looking into his bowl of porridge. _How could I let that damn Tevinter talk me into doing that? _He had barely slept all night, for his mind had been going a mile a minute rethinking what had happened. Tossing and turning on his bed, he swear he could hear Evelyn crying.

Solas sat down next to the Commander with his own breakfast. He didn't seem to even notice he was so deep in thought.

"Something the matter?" The elf asked curiously waking the man out of a daydream.

Blackwall plopped in the chair across from the two. "He's just cross because he doesn't know how to reciprocate his feelings for our leader."

"Cullen, all you have to do is show her your dominance," The Iron Bull said sliding down from the long table next to Blackwall."Be a man, grow a pair, and give her a good pounding."

At this point in the conversation the former Templar had turned a shade of pink similar to that of a rosebud. "I do not think it's particularly proper to speak of the Inquisitor in that manner, Bull."

"It's not like she's here! You have to admit she has some pretty fantastic-" Bull made a crude gesture but stopped suddenly looking behind Cullen's head. Blackwall looked too, choking on his porridge at what he saw.

"Ahem," Solas and the Commander turned around to see Evelyn appearing to be a completely different person. Her old enchanter robes had been baggy with multiple layers, but as she stood before them she wore tight fitting apostate robes that left little to the imagination. Although she had a small tattoo under her eye and the side of her head was shaved she had a delicate face that portrayed an innocent youth look. Usually she had little to no makeup on, hence youth, but now she wore dark eyeliner and eyeshadow that made them sparkle with a feline quality. Her lips were a medium pink color, covered in a gloss, kissable. She was absolutely mystifying. The men, besides Solas who had no interest in human women, were dumbfounded at the change.

"Boss, you look-"

The Inquisitor crossed her arms, puckered her lips, and scrunched her eyes at the qunari, clearly pissed. "Fantastic?"

Bull gulped. He lowered his head to look at his bowl of porridge. The Commander was now a shade of deep deep scarlet, ashamed beyond belief.

"That's what I thought," Evelyn said uncrossing her arms, resting them on her hips instead. "Look the only reason I'm here is for Solas."

The elf, even though he had no reason to be, nervously met his eyes with the woman. "Inquisitor?"

"We have some problems to deal with at the Storm Coast. Care to join me?" She offered him one of her delicate hands. He took it without hesitation, using it to hoist himself up, but rapidly let go if it as if it were infected. Touching was not Solas's forte.

"I can't believe I'm asking this, but why is he not in trouble?" Blackwall asked grimacing.

The mage flicked her eyes towards him, fury lingered there. "He had nothing to do with what happened last night,"

"Neither did I!"

"Bullshit!" A crackle of electric magic sizzled around Evelyn's body. Cullen, mere inches away from the woman, wanted anything to make her hurt to disappear. "You knew of what he was going to do and did nothing to stop it!"

"Dorian would have done it with or without my disapproval," Blackwall countered.

"Dorian?" With a look of confusion, she pointed at Cullen. "I thought it was his idea."

"No, he wouldn't shut up all the way up to your room about how wrong it was," The Iron Bull said, his head still down.

Finally, Evelyn met Cullen's eyes. She was bewildered, but willing to hear the man out. His eyebrows were upturned to say 'I'm sorry', and he reached his hand out to hold hers. He intertwined his fingers with hers. For a moment she couldn't believe what was happening, but she did the first thing that came to her mind: she squeezed his hand. To Cullen it meant that she really did care for him. A puppydog smile spread across Cullen's face. The Inquisitor smiled too, then let go, and gave Blackwall and Bull a glare before turning to leave.

"I'm still mad at you two," She said as she left, hips swinging as she walked out the door. Solas did a sort of half wave goodbye as he left behind the Inquisitor.

"Maker," Cullen whispered, that grin remaining in his face.

Bull raised his head finally and it turned out he had been smiling, too. "You picked one hell of a woman, Commander."


	7. Chapter 7

_It has come to my attention that people have expected some mischief. I am happy to oblige. I also am I happy to say that STHH has now reached over 2,000 views! Thank you so much for reading, and even more if you have followed or favorited this story. I keep writing this because of all of you._

* * *

The day Evelyn arrived back to the Inquisition's fortress from the Storm Coast, she giddily ran up the stone steps to Cullen's office, but right before she was about to enter one of his soldiers walked out, head down, reading a report. He bumped his shoulder against hers as he walked by.

"Oh, your worship!" The man was down on his knees below the woman, groveling to her like she were Andraste herself. "Please forgive me!"

"There is nothing to forgive," Evelyn reached down to the man grabbing his arm and pulling him up. She motioned with her head towards Cullen's office. "He in there?"

"No, my lady. I believe he went on break." He pointed to the upper courtyards. "Over there with Master Dorian,"

The Inquisitor's upper lip curled in disgust at his name, remembering what he had done. She turned on her heel and walked in that direction. Calling over her shoulder she said, "Thank you!"

* * *

"Gloat all you like. I have this one," Cullen said to the Tevinter man across from him. The game of chess they had been playing had been going on for over an hour now, and to Dorian it seemed down to the wire. The Commander however knew just how to best him in a manor that he wouldn't even see coming.

"Are you sassing me, Commander? I didn't know you had it in you," The mage said gleefully with an amused twinkle in his eye.

"Why do I even- Inquisitor!" Cullen saw her out of the corner of his eye walking up to the pavilion. He shot up, ready to report.

"Leaving are you? Does this mean I win?"

"Are you two playing nice?" Evelyn said with a single eyebrow raised and her arms crossed. She did her best to ignore the flutter her heart gave at the sight of the blond man.

The Tevinter twitched, a little anxious at the presence of the Inquisitor, but he managed to hide it well. He was afraid of what the reprimand would be for being the one who led the spying on the girls that night. Giving the Commander a sly wink he said, "I'm _always_ nice. You need to come to terms with my inevitable victory. You'll feel much better."

"Really?" Cullen moved his rook to checkmate his kind. "Because I just won. And I feel fine."

Dorian through up his hands, and got up to leave. "Don't get smug. There will be no living with you,"

"Bull has requested you go to see him as soon as possible," Evelyn lied stepping in front of him so he couldn't leave just yet. She dropped her voice down to a whisper and lent in to his ear to sell it. "I was informed that is was, uh, _urgent_."

"Well, we can't keep him waiting." Dorian smiled. Her ruse seemed to work and he headed in the direction of the tavern where the Iron Bull spent most of his off duty time. Sera had told Evelyn to get Dorian away from his quarters so she could scheme her pranks, and when the Inquisitor had suggested that she send him to the qunari Sera was absolutely ecstatic at the thought. That led to her having to ask Cullen for a favor, but not just yet.

"I should attend to my duties as well," He said starting to stand, but seeing the look of disappointment on her beautiful face he quickly added, "Unless you would like a game?"

"Chess?" The look on Evelyn's face said that she was wary of the game. "I'm not very good."

"I will go easy on you then," He said. Although she was a fearless fighter, a woman who could take care of herself, he had still worried and awaited her return eagerly. "How were your travels?"

"Alright but I would rather we didn't speak of work." Evelyn said as she helped him reset the pieces on the board. The late autumn air sent a breeze through the pavilion area. She shivered but tried to hide it from the Commander's attention. He saw it anyway and shed off his top cloak.

"Here," Cullen said unabashed to hand it to her. One thing that he prided himself on was his courtesy.

"That's not necessary," She held up hand.

He rose from his chair, got up and laid the feathered cloak across her shoulders. Through her dark eye makeup she looked up at him unsure of what to make of this action. The cloak sated the chill that was wound up through her body. She sighed, pleased at the warmth that already started to spread in her limbs. "Thank you."

Still blushing, he nodded and returned to his seat. A moment of silence passed while the final pieces were back into place. They reached for the same piece at the same time and their fingers barely touched. It was enough to send a course of electricity up the man's spine. Evelyn smiled a little and then slid the piece to it's designated spot.

"White moves first," Cullen said suddenly changing from the cute, awkward schoolboy to a man of master strategy. He moved a pawn.

"How long have you been playing this game? You seem to be quite good at it."

"Some time now," He said with a smile watching the moves and countermoves the Inquisitor was making. "Back in Ferelden, when I was a child, I would play with my sister. She would get this stuck up grin whenever she won. My brother and I practiced for weeks and the look on her face when I finally beat her,."

"You have siblings?" Evelyn bit her lip anxiously after she moved her bishop.

"Two sisters and a brother,"

"Where are they now?" She tried to wrap her head around the game while talking, but it proved to be difficult beyond comparison and that was coming from someone who only weeks before had slayed a high dragon

"South Reach. They moved there after the Blight," The pause in the conversation made Evelyn look up from the board to his face. "I write to them less often than I should,"

"It's more than I have," The Inquisitor muttered returning her attention to the game.

"What do you mean?"

She shook her head. "I haven't talked or seen anyone in my family for over ten years,"

"That's horrible," Cullen said feeling sympathetic towards the woman. He knew the struggles which circle mages had to go through, but to actually go through it himself, no contact whatsoever, he didn't think it would be possible. "I can't imagine not talking to Mary for that long,"

"Your sister?"

"Yes, the one that played chess with me. She's my older sister. Her full name is Margaret. Then there's my younger brother Vincent and my younger sister Esther." He smiled remembering each of them, their good and bad qualities.

"They sound great," Evelyn said as a melancholy feeling filled her.

"What about you? Do you have any siblings?" Cullen took out a piece of hers and set on the side of the board. "I can't imagine a noble family having many children."

"It's uncommon, but I have a younger brother. We're so close in age that people used to think us to be twins." An old and distant memory of her telling off one of her mothers guests about how much more mature she was than her little brother filled her mind. "It drove me insane."

"What's his name?"

"Garrett," She said sadly. "I don't remember him that much, not enough to judge him on his character. He was eight years old the last time we were together. The possibilities are endless to imagine how acts now, or even what he looks like,"

"I think this is the longest we have gone without talking about the Inquisition or related matters. It's a pleasant distraction," He mused as he let Evelyn take out his queen.

"We should do this more often," Evelyn said smiling at her little feat.

"I'd like that,"

"Me too,"

He laughed slightly and moved another one of his pieces. "You said that,"

Her little mishap had her face turn a shade of bright pink. She quickly moved her bishop into checkmate.

"I believe this one is yours. We should do this more often," Cullen said getting up to leave the pavillion. He took two steps away from the area, happy at the progress in their relationship that was strengthening.

His cloak still on her shoulders, Evelyn stood up too and halted his steps, saying, "Cullen, I need to ask of you a favor."

Slowly, he turned around and stepped back up to meet the woman at eye level, the space between them being closed in a matter of seconds. "Anything,"

A wry smile spread across Evelyn's face.

* * *

There was still some laughter, and, Cullen shuddered, grunting coming from the room. _I can't believe I'm doing this. I can't believe I'm doing this! _Cullen paced outside of the Iron Bull's quarters. Evelyn had asked him that if he really wanted to atone for spying on her he had to wait until Bull and Dorian fell asleep after, ahem, interacting and steal their clothes no questions asked. She also told him to bring the clothes to Sera's room in the tavern afterward. According to one of the guards near by, the two had been in there for an hour now. He pressed his ear to the door listening to what they were doing even though he did not want to. At last he heard the sound of snoring.

Before he could get a chance to really think about what he was doing, he opened the door swiftly, grabbed the articles of clothing that littered the floor (while averting his eyes from the sleeping naked forms on the bed), and ran out of the room as if he were running from a demon.

* * *

The best feeling the world was that of getting back at someone Sera told Evelyn. They sat on the balcony chatting for a bit before the men, not just Bull and Dorian, realized that they were all missing something rather important. Dusk had taken over the sky leaving it a pink color. Soon darkness would shade the two while they finished Sera's prank. When the elf had explained to the Inquisitor the plan she immediately agreed.

"I had Leliana make Blackwall take a bath, so that's how I got his. And Harding 'accidently' spilled ale all over Varric and she grabbed them when he went to change. And I had some scouts go in and take their clothes out of all their quarters so they couldn't just grab another set," Sera counted them off on her fingers. "I decided to leave Cole alone, thought it best."

"Thank you," The Inquisitor tied the last shirt onto the rope. "Are we ready?"

Sera nodded standing. She started to giggle uncontrollably.

Evelyn shook her head. "Hit the ale a little early, don't you think?"

"Oh, shut up. Come on! Let's do this so I can see the looks on their faces!" They began to gather the rope up in their arms, and made their way out of the Inquisitor's quarters.

* * *

Dorian ran out of Bull's quarters as quick as possible to his own, but something caught his eye which halted his steps. Swinging in the breeze, barely visible due to the night, was a banner of clothes strung from across the North terrace all the way to the South terrace. He spotted his armor as well as his pajamas and regular clothing, groaning loudly. Cupping his manhood he ran all the way back to his room, cursing whatever had made him decide to spy on that slumber party.

* * *

_And that's it. I struggled with coming up with this chapter because I really wanted to infuse the chess scene in with it. I hope you liked it! Thanks for reading. _


	8. Chapter 8

_Two chapters in less than 24 hours, Madness! So I was really excited to write this chapter. I understand that Stroud isn't the one who goes with you when there's a female Hakwe or something like that, but I like Stroud a lot better. Just wanted to say that I know so none of you diehards can call me out on it. I also changed the ending to the terrace scene. Happy reading!_

* * *

"The Iron Bull do you ever worry that a demon may be standing off to your left where you can't see?"

Bull gave Cole a murderous look before casually moving his head to the left to check. "I do now,"

The group had traveled to Crestwood about a week previous. They had stayed closing rifts and helping townsfolk despite their incessant complaining. _The weather is terrible. I got blood all over me. Cassandra's got a stick up her arse. _It just went on and on like that. Sometimes Evelyn didn't feel like the Inquisitor. No, sometimes, like right now, she felt like a mother.

"We have to find Hawke's friend," Evelyn explained for the fifth time that week. She examined her map once more before heading down a trail that supposedly led to the cave where Stroud and Hawke were. "It's prudent,"

"Boss, the demon kid is creeping me out,"

"Thoughts a jumble, his nightmares becoming real. They come to him at night, and during the day. Melting flesh, burning it black. Taunting, hurting. Making him need and crave touch. He wanders through the nightmares, but there is no escape," Cole said eyes glued to Bull's face. The qunari took a giant step and "hid" as best as he could behind the seeker who also was appalled at the words spewing out of the spirits mouth.

"He's doing it again!"

The Inquisitor spun around on her heel to glare at the both of them. "If you two don't stop I swear I will make you wait back at camp for the rest of the trip. Do I make myself clear?"

Instantly the two both shut their mouths. Cassandra ducked her head down so Evelyn wouldn't see her smile. The party walked up to the cave's entrance. The woman's mage staff was crackling with lightning, casting a glow over her face.

"There you are. I was beginning to think you were going to miss out on all the fun," She said smiling at Evelyn.

"Oh, no. Who would want to miss this?" She hollered through the rain that began to pick up with a great gusto. The group followed Hawke through the cave and met a jumpy Stroud. What they discussed had the Inquisitor's brow go up in concern. Not many things were troublesome enough to cause her this much worry and panic. The Grey Warden's were supposed to be vigilant and the news of the Venitori infiltrating their ranks, turning the wardens into puppets was a hard blow to the woman.

"We'll meet you in the Western Approach," Stroud said walking out of the cave. "That's where I was informed the rituals are happening."

She nodded gravely. _Yay, another trip out in the middle of nowhere._

* * *

Cullen looked up from his paperwork to find the Inquisitor in his office. He had been so occupied with his work he hadn't even heard her come in. Getting up from his chair he questioned, "I thought you were supposed to be in the Western Approach?"

"Got back early. I am so sick of all these demons, dark rituals, and shit," She sat down on the corner of his desk with a huff. "Can't any mages just stay away from the stuff? It's bad. That's why templars kill mages. That should be a red flag. Hmm, should I try blood magic? Hmm, do I want to be killed? The stupidity of people drives me insane."

The man got up and circled Evelyn, a small smile playing on his lips. "So you are for the Templar Order then?"

"Why wouldn't I be? They keep us safe. All of us," She bowed her head, looking at her hands. "Just because I'm a mage you think I would be against them?"

"I-I just assumed," He rubbed the back of his neck, ashamed.

"Most do." Evelyn's gaze wandered to look out the small window overlooking the valley. "I appreciate the order and it's effort. There was weakness on both sides that led to the mage uprising. Fools who use blood magic and those who take advantage of the helpless."

"What did you experience after the uprising?" Cullen came to stand by her side. His eyes traveled over the features of her face, studying it. Full lips pursed in concentration.

"Some radicalists overthrew some templars in one room and it all was chaos from there. One of my closest friends was killed when tried to leave the Circle during a riot. He had just passed his harrowing when news of the rebellion in Kirkwall spread. And after that I was on the run, hunted. Wild templars chased me for a few months." She bit her lip and shook her head, eyes shut hard. "I had to do what I had to do to be rid of them, and I regret that."

"You killed them?" Cullen asked.

"Every last one,"

There was a moment of deafening silence. Cullen reached for her hand that was now clutching onto the desk for support. "It's all right,"

"I murdered ten templars," The memory of them lying dead in pools of blood at her feet was one that had haunted her day and night since it had happened. It was the first time she had spoken of it to anyone, and it was more challenging than she had expected. Nor did she expect she would be telling a former templar about it.

"I've killed hundreds of innocent mages,"

She shook her head again. "It's not the same. You had orders. Murdering and killing are different."

"Is there something you wished to discuss other than this?" He sighed letting go of her hand.

"I thought we could talk. Alone?"

The Commander raised an eyebrow quizzically. "We're already… Oh, Alone? I mean, of course."

Evelyn gave him a nervous smile and led him out of his office, out on one of the terraces. They walked side by side, he rubbing the back of his neck like he usually did whenever he got in uncomfortable situations, and she looking at a bird flying overhead.

"It's a beautiful day," Cullen said distracted.

"What?" The Inquisitor asked, stopping in her tracks.

"It's," Unsure of what to continue he said, "There was something you wished to discuss."

_Just go for it. _"Cullen, I care for you and-" She started to stutter and when she stuttered she sounded like a bumbling fool. Frustrated, she sighed.

"What's wrong?"

"You left the templars, but do you trust mages? Could you think of me as anything more?" For a long time she suspected that he didn't, wouldn't ever have feelings for a mage, but his recent actions and conversations with her told her that her mind had been wrong.

"I could. I mean, I do," He smacked his forehead and ran his hand down his face. Exhaling heavily, he walked to the edge of terrace. "And what I might say in this sort of situation,"

Evelyn stood next to him, resting her hands on the stone wall. She tilted her head to look at him. "What's stopping you?"

"You're the Inquisitor. We're at war," Evelyn rolled her eyes at him as she faced him and he her. "And you… I didn't think it was possible."

"And yet I'm still here," She gave him a wink and a shy smile moving a step closer to him.

"So you are," His hand slid up on her waist, a timid rumble starting in the back of his throat. "It seems too much to ask, but… I want to."

Her breath hitched when he closed the space between them. She closed her eyes. He closed his. The tip of his nose brushed against her cheek gently as he leaned in to press him lips to hers, but then the opening and closing of his office door made his eyes snap open.

"Commander," A guard walked up to the two his head down reading a report. Evelyn moved her head away from Cullen's. Annoyed, the Commander turned around to look at the man who rudely interrupted. "You wanted a copy of Sister Leliana's report,"

"What?" He growled at the man.

"Sister Leliana's report. You wanted it delivered 'without delay'," The general took a step towards him, a menacing glare intensified on his face. The guard then saw the Inquisitor behind Cullen. The way she was blushing and shifting her feet made it obvious that the two had just been doing something. "Or to your office, right."

The guard backed away carefully before running back to his commander's office. Cullen watched him all the way until he was gone.

"If you need to-" Her words were cut off by his lips crushing against hers. Gloved hands were on either side of her face to hold it still. _Sweet Maker! He's actually kissing me. _It had been years since she had kissed anyone, and to say the least, she was out of practice. After a moment she returned the kiss, softly, and let up on the hardness he had at first. The initial shock of him kissing her was now over, so she wrapped her around around his waist pulling him against her body.

They had been only kissing for a couple of seconds before he pulled away, a great grin on his face. "I'm sorry… that was, uh…. really nice,"

She bit her lip, a giggle rising up out of her. "I believe that was a kiss, but I can't sure. It's all a blur."

"Ha! Yes, well," He leaned in again and his lips were on hers once more. Luckily for Evelyn she was prepared more for this kiss. She now undid her arms from his waist and wrapped them around his neck, pulling his head down closer to hers. To others it may seem like the height difference was only a little bit, but in reality Cullen was a little over a foot taller than her. When she opened her mouth a little the Commander warily melding his tongue with hers, deepening the kiss. He moaned slightly, and pulled her tightly to his chest. The door to his office opened a second time. They both pulled away to see who now was going to interrupt.

"Inquisitor!" Cassandra stood where the guard had been only moments before and Sera behind her. The seeker's jaw hung open in shock. The elf's were ablaze with excitement, but she held her tongue to let Cassandra speak. "Forgive us,"

"No, no. It's quite alright," Cullen said stepping away from the woman. "I have some things I have to attend to,"

Evelyn wasn't ready for him to leave just yet. All of her anxieties gone, she pulled on his hand to make him wait, and, on her tiptoes, kissed him on the cheek. "See you at dinner?"

He gave her a pleased smile. "Of course,"

Cullen walked by the two women, giving them a nod, and returned to his office. Batting her eyelashes, Evelyn watched him as he left and the sigh that came out of her this time was a delighted one.

"I can't believe what I just saw," The seeker's mouth was still open wide in surprise.

"Looks like we're gonna need to have another slumber party," Sera said resting her hands on her hips like she knew all along what was going to happen. "So you can tell us all the juicy details,"


	9. Chapter 9

In the dimly lit corridor, Hawke and Varric were talking under their breath about the recent matters of their past companions. The dark haired women had a loving look in her eyes, one that spoke of how close the two were.

"Fenris is waiting for me at an inn called the Crooked Goose. Heard of it?"

Varric laughed. "I've been there once in recent travels."

"And that was one hell of a night to remember," Evelyn said. She stuck to the shadows of the corridor watching them reconnect. "I've never seen someone so drunk before."

"Then you must not remember what you looked like after that night,"

Hawke giggled. She motioned her head towards the war room."Ready to start then?"

"As ready as I will ever be," Evelyn walked with Hawke to the door, Varric turning back towards the exit. "Who's Fenris?"

"Everyone shut up for just a minute," Evelyn yelled pounding a fist on the table. The force of her hit on the wood made some of the small figurines fall down. Her eyes flitted between the Commander and the Spymaster. "Are you suggesting we attack the Grey Wardens? That's insane."

"There is no other solution," Leliana said avoiding eye contact by looking out the window.

"The hell there isn't. There is no reasoning with them?" Hawke yelled at the women. _Thank the Maker someone is on my side, _Evelyn thought.

"I have to agree with the Campionon. To suggest that there is no way to end this peacefully is boggling my mind. There is nothing the Inquisition can do?"

"You saw how the wardens were out in the Western Approach. They aren't even conscious of what they are doing!" Cullen yelled at the two mages who both had their hands on their hips in defiance.

"Which means they deserve death?" The Champion said with sarcasm oozing from her voice. A crackling tension erupted between the Champion and the Commander.

Josephine watched the two sides of the table cautiously. Hawke and Evelyn on one side Leliana and Cullen the other. The Antivan was not one to shy away from arguments (mind you she had left a country of assassins and greedy noblemen), but this was starting to get out of hand, especially considering they were on the same side. They had been going at it for an hour now, the ambassador trying to keep them from tearing each others throats out with mild success. The Champion had only caused a minor scratch on the Commander's face after she had lunged across the table.

"If we don't act now it may be too late. They could go to Corypheus at any moment," Cullen growled ferociously. "There are more lives at stake then you realize, Inquisitor,"

"You don't understand how hard it is to be the one to make executive decisions, Templar," Hawke said, eyes glaring at him. "Oh, wait, you aren't a templar anymore. No more working for crazy bitches who use red lyrium? No more killing innocent men, women, and children? That's too bad."

"Champion, please," Evelyn pressed her palms into her eyes. "Let's not have the events of Kirkwall blind our reason,"

"No, she's right. This is decision is yours and yours alone." Cullen said, staring fiercly into the Inquisitor green eyes. She looked back into his brown ones, this was not the man she had just been kissing on the terrace. This was not her shy man, this was her general, cold, hard, and ruthless. It scared her.

Shaking her head, accepting defeat in this decision, Evelyn muttered turning away from the table, "Fine. Set our targets for Adamant. Prepare the troops, Commander. We march at dawn."

_E, _

_We need to talk. Meet me in the Keep after everyone's gone to bed. _

_-C_

She looked up from the note that a guard had given to her, to look at Cullen across the dining table. Barely noticeable, the Inquisitor bowed her head a fraction of an inch then returned to the conversation she was having with Cassandra about the food they were eating. In the back of her mind however, Evelyn silently worried about what the Commander wanted to talk to her about later that night.

She wore only her nightgown even though the air outside was brisk. It billowed around her frame when the wind picked up speed. The thin material of the dress made the guards heads turn as she ran past them through the corridor.

"Ma'am? Are you alright?" One guard said, halting her steps. The sound of his voice was vaguely familiar like it was something she had dreamt about. Turning on her heel, she looked at the young man recognizing him from forever ago.

"What's your name?" She gave him a curious look, head tilted.

"Flint, Lady Inquisitor," His voice quavered minimally under the direct question.

Evelyn took a deep breath, knowing that her suspicions were correct. "I'd like to thank you for helping me that night. You know of the one I speak?" Flint nodded slowly. The Inquisitor continued, "I was not at my best, and, thank the Maker, no rumors have gone around about my intoxication."

The man's mouth upturned slightly. "Just doing my job, Inquisitor."

"Commander Cullen has trained you well," She reached out her hand for his. Quickly, Flint grasped her hand in his, and gave it a single strong shake. "I am proud to have such a fine soldier in my ranks."

Blushing slightly, sporting something over her shoulder, he let go quickly and said, "I am honored, Inquisitor."

"And you should be," A deep voice spoke behind the Inquisitor. Sighing, Evelyn turned around to look Cullen. He was leaning up against the Keep's door, eyes giving off a menacing look to Flint. She tried to hide her attraction to him. During regular hours he wore his armor with pauldrons which concealed most of his body, but now he was in a loosely fitting long sleeve shirt and dark brown trousers.

"Commander," Evelyn said with pursed lips.

"Inquisitor," He opened the door to the keep and motioned for her to enter.

"Have a goodnight, Flint. I hope to see you on the battlefield tomorrow." She bowed her head to the guard, ignoring Cullen.

"And I you," Flint saluted the women as she entered the Keep.

Before he followed her, Cullen shot another glare at his recruit making the young man cower a little. The man forced the door shut, eyes locked on the doorknob. There was a small fear inside him, fear of what would happen when he faced the mage. He was rude, and an obnoxious brute in the war room. The words that were said to him by the Champion left a hollow feeling inside of him. All the women he killed, begging. All the children he killed, crying out for their mothers. The Inquisitor had yet defended him, but did that mean that she really believed that he was a man who did the right thing or rather was she ignorant to the crimes he had committed? He took a shuddering breath.

Evelyn said, "Look at me,"

The man gulped and a sweat broke out on his forehead. Some unknown force that he couldn't describe wouldn't let his gaze wander to hers. He could feel her eyes burning a hole in the side of his head.

"Cullen!" Suddenly the mage's hands were on the sides of his face making him look directly into her eyes. But for only about a second. After that single moment she kissed him hard, making his eyes widen in surprise. It was a short kiss just enough to get his attention. There was a sadness in her eyes. "I don't want to lose you,"

"What? What's wrong? Did I-Did I do something? I did do something, didn't I?" He began to spout off questions in a never ending siege. "Was it because of me being a jerk in the war room?"

"You wanted to talk. I assumed you were, you know," Evelyn ducked her head down to hide her red face. "Going back on what had happened between us. You regret it don't you? Is it because it was too soon?"

"This has nothing to do with the kiss-"

"We had that talk before hand," She wandered her way through the Keep, her thoughts spilling out of her mouth in an uncontrollable mess, the anger she had been feeling in the war room dissipating into nothing. "My views made you upset, and you regret ever entangling yourself in my mayhem."

"Inquisitor-"

Underneath the statue of Andraste, the candles casting a glow over her body, the Inquisitor looked like a deity of sorts, at least to Cullens eyes. He had avert his eyes, for the candles made it so it revealed everything underneath the gown. She turned to face him, eyes watery, and lips pouty."It's because I'm a mage, isn't it?"

"My lady!

The woman began to massage her temples, neglecting him for the feelings that brewed in her mind. There was a haunting look in her eyes, something dark. When she spoke it sounded as if she was trying to convince herself rather than the man in front of her. "I can control my powers. I can, I know this to be true, but if I could. If-if I could take this curse away I would, I would for you, but I can't. I've tried! There is nothing I can do."

"Evelyn Trevelyan!" The yell made her snap out of whatever rant she had been spewing out of her mouth. He took two long strides to her, and pulled her body against his body. She blinked rapidly, looking into his dark eyes. "What would cause you to think me so little of you?"

"You were a templar, and I'm a mage. Those things don't tend to go hand in hand,"

"I care for you so, so much. My past will never interfere with our present. Now can we please do what we met her for?"

Solemnly, Evelyn nodded. She pushed off his chest, grabbed his hand, and led him to the steps. Carefully adjusting her skirt to hide her naked bits, Evelyn sat with her arms crossed over her chest. "Alright. What do you want to speak about?"

"Dawn approaches us quickly, and I don't want to waste a minute with unnecessary sleep when I would much rather be here. I want to spend as much time with you as possible. There isn't anything in particular I want to speak of. Anything, but we may have to face tomorrow."

"Very well," She smiled and gave him a soft kiss, lips touching briefly. The looming battle was forgotten, for a little while as they spent the night together inside the Chantry Keep.


	10. Chapter 10

_This chapter, like so many others, has been rewritten a few times. In this chapter I tried to keep the attack on Adamant (quest Into the Abyss, or something of the sort) short and sweet. I also write in this chapter about a rather serious thing that people deal with, PTSD, or a coping mechanism where people become mute. Very important, very serious. The happy stuff comes in the next few chapters, though, so keep reading! Thanks!_

* * *

Soldiers fell as the warden archers caught sight of the Inquisition forces from the high terraces of the keep. Evelyn marched behind her men who had their shields up to protect her. She cringed when she had to step around their dead bodies. After the barricade was broken down with the battering ram, she morbidly walked through the door of the keep. Behind her Cullen grabbed onto her elbow, and began to tell her where she needed to go, what to do, and all that sort. The demons littered the keep attacking the soldiers that pushed forward. It wasn't anything she hadn't faced before, or so she thought. _But what about him? _She shook her head, trying to convince herself. _He was a templar for over ten years. He knows how to deal with demons. _Still the thought of losing him to these monsters was more than she could stand.

"Do you understand?" Again, Cullen had transformed from the man she cared for to a fierce general, but this time it was necessary. She nodded, a gave a swift kiss on his cheek.

"Be safe. If you die, I will kick your ass," The joking matter fell flat due to her monotone voice. She was preparing herself for what was to come. There would be loss, of soldiers and possibly her loved ones. She couldn't deny her worry.

"I'll take your word on that." He grasped her hand for a moment and held it tight. Letting go, she turned away looking at the demons that were laid out before her. They were not unlike the ones she saw in the fade every night while she slept, yet seeing them in real life, here in the mortal world, was terrifying. More than she had ever encountered when closing rifts. More than she could count. A shudder went down the woman's spine.

Cullen gave her an encouraging push on her back when she hesitated to step forward. "Now go! We'll hold them off!"

* * *

Evelyn and her comrades, Iron Bull, Cassandra, and Solas, woke up on dusty ground. All that she remembered was that the Grey Warden mage was getting eaten by a dragon, and then they were all falling. Falling up? That only happened in dreams. _Oh, shit. _"Maker please tell me we aren't in the fade,"

"The fade?!" Cassandra helped her up off the ground. Dizziness was lingering in the back of Evelyn's mind, and standing up didn't solve it. She leaned into the warriors arms, struggling to regain her balance. "Physically? How is this-? Why are we-?"

"You opened a rift, Inquisitor. We were falling into an abyss and then," Solas had a large grin on his face as his eyes wandered the fast terrain of this strange place. "You saved us."

"How exactly is going into the fade good?" The Iron Bull said, crossing his arms. "Isn't this the place where demons come from? But, of course, you don't care. Hell, you are just as giddy as can be to be in this shithole."

The elf gave the qunari man a glare that spoke volumes. "Even so we have to find a way out of here,"

"I agree," Stroud stood vertically next to the Inquisitor. Cassandra noticed this and gawked. Then the Seeker looked up and nearly shrieked, for she saw the Champion standing there with her arms crossed in irritation.

"This isn't exactly like the last time I visited the fade," Hawke seemed royally pissed to be in the fade again. "It's much more dreary. And green."

"Look if we came in through the rift we can go out the same way," Evelyn shakily took a step towards the green light emanating from the sky. "I think,"

* * *

After killing the nightmare demon, the path was clear to the real world. Then, as Bull so blatantly would put, shit went flying. The enormous demon spider creature which the spirit of Justinia, or whatever it was, had 'destroyed' was back, and angry. "Damn all these fucking spiders!"

"We need a distraction, otherwise we will never get through," Hawke said. "Let me stay and fight."

"Champion, you can't be serious! If anyone should stay it should be me!" Stroud yelled at Hawke. Evelyn looked between the two, barely comprehending what they were suggesting. "You said it yourself, the Wardens must pay. I must atone for the Grey Wardens crimes."

"You should atone for them by rebuilding the order to it's original honor!"

Cassandra looked at the Inquisitor. "It's your decision,"

"What?! You can't ask me to decide the fate of these two." Evelyn shook her head, but knew that a verdict would not be reached unless she intervened. She knew her answer when Hawke had rebuttled Stroud's point on rebuilding the wardens. The dwarf was going to kill her on her return to Skyhold. "Hawke,"

The Champion smiled a smile that said she was ready to face her death. "Great way to stick it to that demon bastard," Surprisingly, she embraced the Inquisitor and whispered in her ear. "Tell Varric and Fenris that I love them,"

Then she charged, attacking the giant spiders legs. The path cleared again, legs disintegrating with each powerful spell coming from Hawke's staff. Evelyn motioned for her party to run. They did so without hesitation. The Inquisitor attempted to assist Hawke, but the first move she made to attack her fellow mage screamed at her, "Go!"

Evelyn paused a second before she ran through the rift, casting a backwards glance at the woman. As soon as she stepped out it closed behind her, leaving the Champion of Kirkwall trapped, and, no doubt, dead. She felt like her chest was going to explode. Even not knowing her for very long, Evelyn felt utterly hurt, no, destroyed about Hawke. Then she saw Stroud shakily stand next to her, and she knew that her difficult decision was the right one.

After the battle, the Inquisitor solemnly told the Grey Wardens to rebuild the order in honor of Hawke who died to save them. There was much celebration from everyone except Evelyn. She dreaded to return to Skyhold to deliver the news to Varric.

* * *

The soldiers marched their way back, carrying the dead and wounded. Carcasses rotting, faces burned or melted. Blood, guts, entrails. Comrades crying over their fallen friends. The sight of it all made Evelyn physically sick, hurling herself off of the road to vomit. Bent over, she wiped away the excess that was left on the corner of her mouth. _How could I do this? They follow me mindlessly, throwing their lives away. I'm no better than Corypheus. _

"Ma'am, are you alright?" A woman soldier came up to the Inquisitor, spotting Evelyn from a distance.

She straightened, and walked past the woman without a word. The mage would not speak for over a week after the attack on Adamant.

* * *

"You're sad," Cole said. She sat on a tavern chair with her knees pulled up to her chest, eyes vacant of any life. A mug sat on the table in front of her, untouched. The spirit reached for the mage's hand. "This is what people do to comfort people, or that's what Cullen says,"

"I never said that!"

Cole looked at him innocently. "You were saying it in your head,"

Cassandra turned the elven mage. "What is happening to her?"

"It's a form of coping. She has seen terrible things, and maybe it's best for her to deal with it in this way. In my opinion, we should leave her be,"

"What good will that do? She's tearing herself apart!" Bull yelled at the elf. The two had been at each others throats since their little adventure in the fade. The large brute was about to rush Solas, but Krem stepped in front to halt the pursuit.

"Uh, Cole, can you tell us what she's thinking about?" Josephine said curiously. For days now they had attempted to do anything and everything to get her to talk, or show any sign of emotion. Solas continued to tell them that this behavior was normal, and nothing to be worried about. But they were worried, the whole lot of them. Her companions, except Cullen who paced back and forth worried for his love, all sat around her in the empty tavern.

"She feels it, the bad thing. Inclosing in her mind, body, and soul. She knows we are here, but like that of a dream. We're real, yet not. The thing is hurting her, torturing her," Cole looked up to Bull. "She feels guilty,"

"Why?" Dorian asked curiously.

"Death of her soldiers, death of the Divine, death of Hawke," Cole removed his hand from hers, and looked to Josephine. "She thinks it's all her fault."

Cassandra shook her head. "But it wasn't. The Grey Wardens-"

"Don't you even dare bash the wardens one more time, Seeker!" Blackwall yelled.

And then all hell broke loose. Cassandra and Blackwall screamed at each other across the table while Leliana and Josephine started to argue about what to do with Evelyn. Cole got scared by all the loud voices and disappeared, so Solas went in search of him. The First Enchanter watched it all go down, finding it all amusing. Sera, one of closest friends, remained silent in all this with a scowl on her face, staring at a knot in the wooden table. Varric stood up, his chair thrown back onto the floor with a bang.

"All of you get out!" Heads turned to see an angry beardless dwarf stand up. "NOW!"

Without another word the group all went their separate ways. Cullen was the last one out, casting a glance over his shoulder at Varric and Evelyn sitting alone at the table. The dwarf made waved at him to go. With a gulp, the Commander left. Varric sighed and tried to make eye contact with the mage. She stared at the mug. So he started a story.

"Did I ever tell you about the time Hawke was on a merchant guild hit list? Hawke uncle got into an investment scheme with some of his past 'businessmen'. They took a lot of people's coin in order to arrange the import of wandering hills from the Anderfells. A delicacy, I'm told. Their weird, foreign foodstuffs arrived… alive. And one of them, true to it's name, wandered off in the middle of the night."

Evelyn looked at Varric with her emerald eyes. The dwarf held his breath, amazed that she was actually acknowledging his presence. Their was hurt and sadness in him, too, she realized. Slowly the mage lifted her hand and rested it on Varric's. The tavern was silent, no music, no commotion. All was okay in that little instant.

"Are you in there, Evy?"

The Inquisitor squeezed his hand then pulled her knees tighter against her chest. The dwarf sighed. "It's a start, Evy. It's a start,"

* * *

_By the way, did I mention that this story had over 3,000 views! Holy Shit! I feel faint. Thank you so much for reading. Happier stuff to come, like a visit from Evelyn's brother, Garrett. *gasp*_


	11. Chapter 11

_As I said before, holy shit. 4,000 views. Amazing. When I had first started writing this story I had absolutely no idea how many people would read it. You guys are great. This chapter actually wasn't in my "game plan". I kinda just added it in for more of an effect. Sorry, Garrett's not coming just yet._

* * *

It was early in the morning the next day, sun just barely peeking out of the mountain tops, and Cassandra had come to inform the Inquisitor on the most pressing issues they were currently facing. When she entered the room she had found the mage standing in her nightgown in front of the large fireplace, a roaring fire inside it's hearth.

Cassandra felt a bit ridiculous talking to her. It felt like she was talking to a wall. There was no emotion, no movement, no focus, and absolutely no look of recognition from her good friend. Whatever Varric had seen the night before was gone.

The two women now sat, an hour or so later when the seeker had gotten her to move, on one of the plush couches that was in her room. Evelyn had her head tucked in the crook of the seeker's neck. Their bodies were pressed against each other, not in a romantic or sexual way, but that of a mother and a child. The Inquisitor took a deep breath, taking in the woman's scent of robust cinnamon. It brought back memories of her own mother, not the bad but the good. The smell allowed Evelyn to mildly relax, the familiarity of it comforting. Something in the Inquisitor's head clicked and she knew that these problems were something she needed to at least attempt to do. If she had thought that the attack on Adamant would have problems decrease, Maker, she was wrong. The reports spread across their laps, Evelyn locked her eyes on them, trying to concentrate.

"We need either Cullen or Leliana to gather coin in Ferelden. Their plans differ greatly," Cassandra said quietly as she moved that paper towards the back of the stack. "Josephine cannot go. She's still dealing with the nobles near Denerim which I believe is going well."

Evelyn was silent, contemplating. Raising a shaky finger to the paper, she pointed to Leliana's name. The seeker concealed a smile. _Progress._

* * *

Cassandra led Evelyn down the stairs to Josephine's office. Her body language and expressions suggested that she wasn't willing to put up a fight about it. Then again she had really been feeling much of anything the past couple of days.

"Ah, Inquisitor," Josephine got off of her grand chair to greet the two, seeing them walk through the doorway. Evelyn now wore some informal clothes that Cassandra had found in her drawers and managed to help her into them. Brown trousers and a soft cotton shirt was what she had picked out, hoping it wouldn't be too much. Evelyn contained a pout on her lips. She missed her comfy nightgown.

"I'll take care of her for a little while," Josephine said quietly to Cassandra. Evelyn wandered to a wooden chair next to the ambassador's desk, plopping down hard, arms falling limply on either side of her.

The seeker pulled the Antivan out of earshot from Evelyn. "She hasn't eaten. If you can get her to eat something I think things will improve from there. It's best to leave the Inquisition out of her healing process for the time being, but that's just my opinion. At noon bring her to Solas. He said he might be able to calm her nerves a bit." A disgusted noise came out of Cassandra's mouth. "Where is Cullen in all this? You think if he cared about her as much as we think he does he would be here right now attending to her, her… illness."

The embassador sighed. Her hands wrung around and around anxiously. "It's not like we can force him to. We'll just wait for him to come to her. You should go to training. Those recruits surely need it. I'll do my best with her."

And with that the seeker was gone. Turning around to see the Inquisitor, Josephine began to tell a rather scandalous story about Duke Ersaline from Orlais to get her mind off things, so she hoped. It did and Evelyn had started to smile. After that story she told another, and another as she worked on her papers. By the end of the third or fourth story Josephine had made her giggle once. _Let's just hope Solas doesn't make it worse._

* * *

"They say brushstrokes can tell a great deal about a painting. It shows expression. The colors tell the mood," Solas said grabbing a handful of brushes, paint, and a cup of water. He had a piece of a paper attached to a piece of wood for a makeshift easel. Setting the paints and water down, brushes still in hand, he turned to Evelyn. "So, Inquisitor, I would like for you to paint me something. Tell me how you feel through the painting."

Evelyn stared incredulously back at the elf. _At least she's making eye contact now, _he thought."I know you can do it,"

She slowly held out her hand. Solas handed her the brushes cautiously. "Is it alright if I may cast a healing spell first?"

The woman gave him a small nod, and immediately a glow of blue moved over her body. A tension in Evelyn's shoulders released, and a layer of the fog in her mind evaporated away. She walked over to the paper with a brush in hand. Her eyes looked into each different color of paint, trying to find the one that she was feeling. A bold red took her attention. Picking up the jar it was, Evelyn rotated it and watched how the paint moved inside. Dipping one brush into it, she painted on the blank canvas a thick vertical line.

Solas studied her, sitting crosslegged on a table a few feet behind her. A whooshing sound tickled his pointed ear. When he looked to his right he saw Cole standing next to the table.

"What the hell am I supposed to do?" Cole said blatantly.

"Cole!"

The spirit looked very shocked at the elf's screech. Cole lifted a pale finger towards the mage who had now started using black, the previous brush remaining in the red paint jar.

"Ah, I see,"

"She likes candied plums," Cole murmured sitting next to Solas on the table.

"Oh, yes?"

"Yes. Do you think if I find some she will eat them?" He tilted his head to look at the elf, his hat flopping out of his eyes.

As if on cue a loud growling stomach echoed in the room. Evelyn stopped painting, nearly dropping her brush, to look at the two shyly, blushing profusely. From the upper levels of the library Dorian yelled, "Maker, someone get that girl a sandwich!"

* * *

Sitting on her balcony, the setting sun to her back, Evelyn was nibbling on a slice of plum which Cole had so graciously gotten for her. The sweet taste reminded her of the parties her mother and father used to throw for her and Garrett's birthdays. Another good memory made her pain lessen.

It was Vivienne's time to stay with the Inquisitor. When Cassandra and Leliana had started arguing about who's turn it was to watch her, like they were fighting over a child of divorce, the First Enchanter stepped in claiming that she would do so gladly. She had helped Evelyn bathe a little earlier, cleaning off remnants of dirt and blood that had stuck onto her skin from the attack on Adamant. Vivienne massaged her scalp with shampoo. While she did so she spoke of her times as a mistress, and as a First Enchanter: the funny, the interesting, and the enraging. Curiously, she noted how the side of her head that was shaved was scared and the skin mangled. Instead of interjecting a question, one that would not be answered, she just continued talking about her irrelevant stories. After her bath, Vivienne assisted her into her nightgown; she would not be going to dinner tonight.

Right after the Inquisitor finished the piece of fruit her companion asked, "My dear, did you sleep last night? Or the night before?"

Evelyn's head shook from side to side slowly. Expecting as much, Vivienne sighed and sat back in her chair. "I know that you and I haven't always agreed on things-"

A quiet scoff came out of the Inquisitors mouth, surprising them both. Quickly she looked at the Vivienne, embarrassed, then closed her lips firmly so no other sounds could accidently come out. Ignoring the rude noise, she continued, "But I do want to help. I want you to get better. The monsters you had seen were horrendous beyond belief. Anyone would struggle as much as you have to see those creatures."

The First Enchanter leaned forward and rested one hand on Evelyn's knee. "But you can overcome this. You mustn't let Corypheus's play things make you weak. You are the leader of this Inquisition. You are strong whether you feel that way right now or not. If you need anything or anyone to help you achieve your old psyche do not hesitate to let me know, my dear."

Evelyn let the words sink in for a moment. _I need help. _It was a statement. A very true statement. There was only one person she could think of, one person she could fall back in her tender that would help her greatly. She spoke, voice shaky and rough from the days without using her vocal chords,"Send for Cullen."


	12. Chapter 12

_Late update again. Sorry! In this chapter Cullen comforts Evelyn. Happy reading!_

* * *

Before he started up the steps, Cullen took a deep breath to prepare himself. It had been an hour after dinner when Vivienne had come to him. She was just as pleasant as ever, informing him of what the Inquisitor has said. The Inquisitor's other advisers had been giving him dirty looks all week. He hadn't gone to see her once. There was reason for that, however. He was terrified of Evelyn's mental stability. The attack at Adamant had left him torn on the inside as well, and he didn't believe that he could help her. Every step forward his anxiety grew. What would he face? Sadness? Anger? Now that she had started to speak again the possibilities were endless. Scenarios ran rampant in his head.

He got to the top step, turned to face the room, and saw the Inquisitor laying on a couch. Someone, probably Iron Bull due to how heavy it appeared, had moved it so it would be facing the fireplace. The end of the couch that was facing Cullen held Evelyn's head up with multiple pillows. She was in only her nightgown, obviously wearing nothing underneath. From where he was standing he could see the tips of her nipples, making him blush. On her lap was her copy of the Chant of Light, opened up to a stained and tattered page. She was either ignoring him or was too engrossed in her book that she hadn't heard him enter.

"Evelyn?"

The sound of his voice made her head turn as well as her body, the book on her lap dropping to the floor, forgotten. Gracefully, she jumped to her feet and rushed to the man. She knocked the wind out of him, wrapping her arms around his waist. He relaxed, happy to see her again, and pressed her tight against his cotton shirt. A small smile played on her lips.

She pulled back to look up at him, eyes sparkling with mild joy. The sadness was still there, but Cullen's presence lifted her spirits immediately. She was about to say something, but as soon as she opened her mouth he started on a ramble. "I'm so sorry. Please forgive. You have to understand that there were things I had to-"

And then her lips were on his. Soft, light, and gentle. He closed his eyes then, and allowed himself this simple pleasure. Everything for him had been droll and depressing since Adamant, to understate things. To be with Evelyn made him happy even through the hardships he faced. Still kissing, the Inquisitor lead him to the couch, nearly tripping over the hem of her nightgown. She laid down on the plush couch, breaking the kiss for a moment, and tugged him so he would lay on top of her. Her hands were fast moving over his shoulders and back, clawing at his shirt. The desire burned deep within him, somewhere where his control did not exist. A groan escaped him.

_Stop this. It isn't right. _Cullen tried to mantra this through his mind, but Evelyn's seductiveness was too much to bear. His lips on her moved between fast paced and slow.

Sensing his struggle, the woman pulled away to look into his eyes, her own eyes giving him a questioning look.

"I'm sorry," He bent his head down again to kiss her but she blocked his kiss with her hand. She pursed her lip. In one fluid moment, she pushed his shoulders up off of hers, forcing him to sit back, and then she sat up, her face having a coy smile on it. His face was red when he looked at her. Evelyn suspected he was most likely out of breath. Then, suddenly, she was climbing in his lap. She gave him a quick kiss on his cheek before she nuzzled in the crook of his neck and wrapped her arms around his torso. Cullen ran one hand through his messy hair, the other rubbing Evelyn's back.

They sat there like that for some time. Not speaking: just enjoying each others company. The sun had long since gone down, replacing the sky with hundreds of stars visible from their spot on the couch. Evelyn's bliss faded and she soon regretted ever asking Cullen to come see her. Her thoughts turned to that dark place where her mind had resided for the longest time.

"Do you want to talk about it?" He mumbled against her hair.

"Will that help?" Evelyn whispered. Cullen gasped, for he hadn't heard in so long.

"It might,"

She took a staggering deep breath, preparing herself. "You saw what happened. A mage tainted the Grey Wardens name. Another mage working for Corypheus. Mages turn to darkness faster than an Andrastian to the Chantry. I feel like I'm just another mage ruining things for Thedas. Blood magic. Demons. Death. All my fault."

"Why must you say such things?" Cullen sighed pulling her closer. "It was inevitable. If it is anyone's fault it is mine. They were my soldiers and I didn't- I wasn't-"

The mage kissed his jaw, the scruff there tickling her face. "You did your best and there's nothing more I or the Inquisition can ask out of you as a commander."

Cullen grimaced, looking into the roaring fireplace. Evelyn focused on his breathing. She found out at young age that how people breathed said a lot. And as a healer she needed to know these things. His was rugged, labored, and since he hadn't been running in the past few minutes. "You are in pain,"

He shrugged still grimacing. She turned around so she was straddling his hips "What are you-?"

"Shh," Evelyn pressed her palms against his temples. The proximity in which she had to be close to him to cast the healing spell made it so that her pert breasts were squashed against his upper chest almost touching his chin. He blushed but was afraid to move his head away. Evelyn strained to bring the healing spell to her hands. She couldn't remember the last time she had thought about doing magic let alone actually doing it. A few seconds of concentration led to a pulsing blue energy forming over her fingers. She took a few deep breaths to maintain the spell. The tension released in the Commander's shoulders and his headache elevated.

Evelyn pulled her hands away, the spell depleting her mana completely. She sat back on his legs, her chest coming away from his face.

"You have no idea how much better I feel," He said, laughing slightly.. "Writing death notices all day isn't exactly a stress relieving thing."

She curled herself back into his lap. Unfortunately, now, she felt even more guilty. She could have contributed to attending to things around Skyhold or around Thedas for that matter.

"Why do you shave your head?" Cullen asked out of nowhere. Evelyn looked at him incredulously.

"Does it bother you?" She asked with an eyebrow raised.

He realized how rude his question sounded then. "No! I was just curious. I can't imagine your parents liked it. Not very princess like."

She rolled her eyes. "I used to have very long hair when I was still considered nobility. When I joined the circle there was an incident. Around the age of eleven, when we were learning how to cast fire spells, this boy named Altin lost control. I was next to him." She touched the side of her head remembering the feeling of it burning the hair all the way down to the scalp. "The enchanters put some poultices on it but it never healed properly. It's still badly scarred. The hair won't grow back, so I adapted to it."

"What happened to Altin?" Cullen asked curiously.

"Oh, he was made tranquil."

The Commander's eyes popped out of his head.

"Not because of that! He was trapped in the fade during his harrowing."

Cullen shook his head sadly. "A horrible fate,"

"That it is."

Another spontaneous thing came from Cullen. "How did you get your tattoo?"

"Full of questions today, aren't you? I got my tattoo just like any other tattoo is given: ink and a needle." Cullen gave her a look. "Oh, you mean when I got my tattoo?"

"Yes," He said with mock irritation.

Evelyn rolled her eyes at him once more. "I got it after my own harrowing. I just wanted something to say I was changed. Something that said I was an adult now. It's a little stupid to think of now because when I got it I was only fourteen."

"You were only fourteen when you passed your harrowing?" He asked surprised. He had seen men and women fail their harrowing even after twenty years of apprentice training. He smiled at the beautiful woman beside him, realizing just how powerful she truly was. It was kind of amusing how she could appear to be so delicate, gentle (even with her tattoo and hair), yet be so strong in her abilities.

"Youngest mage ever to do at the Circle of Ostwick." She said with a proud smile on her face.

They went on sharing stories late into the night. The two did their best to stray away from the sad topics that plagued their lives. Evelyn began to yawn as she spoke, then Cullen started to as well.

"You should go to bed, Evy," Cullen murmured in her ear.

"I won't be able to sleep. Haven't been able to sleep."

Cullen stood up, sweeping her in his arms. She shrieked giddily. "Are we going on an adventure?"

"Going to bed isn't an adventure in my opinion," Cullen said throwing her upon her large bed. He jumped on the mattress next to her, bouncing her in the air. Her giggling went up another octave at this. When she landed back on the bed she cuddled up to him, her head resting on his chest. He grabbed a blanket that was beside the bed on the floor and threw it over the both of them."I'll stay here until you fall asleep,"

"Well, you are going to be here for a long time," She murmured softly against his chest. Her breaths were already starting to grow shallow after she said this, and soon, after days of insomnia, she fell asleep.


	13. Chapter 13

_I don't know if anyone else was upset that you couldn't have female Inquisitor's wear a dress the ball, but I was! Enjoy my little fluffy chapter. _

* * *

There was a knock on the Inquisitor's door the next day. Evelyn's sleep deprivation made her groggy when she woke up. She stretched her shoulders and rubbed the crud out of her eyes. The bright light coming through her window made her head scream when she attempted to open her eyes. Reaching for a pillow, closing her eyes, she said, "Cullen, can you get that?"

The bed was empty beside her, she realized, when she roamed her hands over the still warm blanket. There was another knock. A pang of worry hit the mage. "Cullen?"

The door opened with a creak. Soft footfalls came up the steps, so Evelyn decided, begrudgingly, to sit up. She shaded her face from the sun, reopening her eyes. Josephine stood, already dressed, just a few feet from her bed. Surprisingly, she held no report in her hands. Just as civil as ever she said, "Inquisitor,"

"Good morning," Evelyn said stretching her arms over her head. The embassador blinked rapidly. She tried to calm herself. _It's not a big deal. It's not! She's just talking again. _Whatever had happened the day before must have worked.

"Good afternoon, actually," Josephine said walking towards her bed. She sat cautiously noticing that the side opposite of the Inquisitor looked like someone had just gotten up. "Did someone spend the night with you?"

"Uh, yes," Evelyn raked her fingers through her hair then swept it over her right shoulder. Her friend sucked a breath in quietly, too quiet for the mage to notice. "But I don't know where Cullen went-"

"Cullen?!" Josephine smacked the bed hard in shock. Evelyn gave her bewildered look, not understanding.

"We slept together," She said nonchalantly, then she took a second to realize her words. "As in sleeping! There was no sex. No. No sex at all."

Josephine's adrenaline slowly fell. "Ah, I see."

"Have you seen him? I woke up and he was gone." Evelyn looked down at her hands, picking at her nails. The embassador looked around. She spotted a figure leaning over the rails of the Inquisitor's terrace.

"He appears to be on the balcony," Josephine said, pointing. Evelyn saw him, and a smile lit up her face. Then she noticed that he didn't have a shirt on. The muscles of his back were rigid, making them appear even larger than they were. His trousers were hung low on his hips, _very_ low. The women averted their eyes. "I came up here to inform you of something."

"Alright," Evelyn got off of the bed and went to her armoire. She rummaged through her clothes waiting for Josephine to start talking again.

"Your family, the Trevelyan's, are based out of Ostwick, yes?"

A small frown formed on the Inquisitor's face. "My blood relatives, yes, but they do not consider me to be part of their family anymore. I was disow

ned if you weren't aware."

"Disowned?"

Evelyn picked out a plain button down shirt and a pair of leather leggings. She also grabbed some clean small clothes seeing as she wasn't wearing any at the moment. "The Trevelyan line has trained templars for hundreds of years. We are strict Andrastians. And being such, when my parents found me casting fire balls at a mouse they sent me straight off to the Circle. Mages and Templars; which do you suppose they would choose between? They discounted all ties from me. I lost my inheritance, like it matters now. All they left me was the name."

"You don't sound very bitter," Josephine observed. The mage gave her a look over her shoulder. Evelyn walked to her bathroom to disrobe.

"It's because I'm not. My parents hads a reputation to uphold." She took her nightgown off, threw it near the tub, and started to maneuver into her underwear. "Why the sudden interest, Josie?"

Evelyn finished with her clothes and walked out next to her bed, looking at her friend The embassador wrung her hands nervously, avoiding eye contact.

"Come on," The Inquisitor sat next to her friend. "You know that you can tell me anything."

"I received a letter from a Garrett Trevelyan." Josephine looked at her out of the corner of her eye. Evelyn's mouth opened a fraction, but no more. If she was surprised she hid it well. "Inquisitor?"

"What did the letter say?" She muttered monotone.

"He informed me that out of all your family he is the only one going to the Winter Palace. Celene personally sent an invitation to him and him alone, supposedly. He wishes you take the time to speak with him when the night arrives."

"Anything else?" She said standing up and heading towards the balcony.

"He wanted to express that what he intends to speak about is prudent. That it can benefit both the Trevelyan's and the Inquisition."

Her hands tightened on the door handles. She took a deep breath, contemplating. "Tell him the Inquisition looks forward to seeing him at Halamshiral."

And then she opened the doors, declaring, in her mind, whether or not the embassador wished it to be, that the conversation was now over.

* * *

Warm hands wrapped around Cullen's bare chest from behind in a tight hug. He said, "Good morning, Sleepyhead,"

"Good afternoon," Evelyn murmured against his back. He must have known it was late afternoon, for the sun was high in the sky. She kissed at his skin. Delighted shivers ran up his spin causing the mage to smile. "How did you sleep?"

Cullen thought back to his nightmares. The desire demons taunting him. He had awoken in a sweat early that morning, the sun not even up yet. Since then he had grabbed a few reports from his office and went over them in the Inquisitor's bed for a bit. He let her lay on him while she slept. When she had rolled over he thought it best to leave her be and went out on the balcony to continue his work. His lyrium withdrawal had horrible setbacks, but there was no need to worry Evelyn at this time. "I should be asking you that."

She sighed, her breath tickling Cullen's skin. "I slept like a baby."

He turned his head to look at her. A small smile played on his lips. Back inside he saw the flash of a gold shirt going down her steps. "Was that Josephine?"

"Uh, yes," Evelyn stuttered. "She told me something that I think you should know."

* * *

The Inquisitor counted down the days until they would travel to the Winter Palace. She was nervous, for what Celene and the Inquisition was going to face. No demons or wardens this time, but assassins were deadly just the same. The imposing meeting with Garrett also loomed ahead. Thirteen years had gone by without any contact between the siblings. Her anxieties grew immensely as the date came closer. Each night, Cullen would join her in her room, and they would sleep side by side through, entangled in each others arms. Some nights were more peaceful than others. Evelyn was still tormented by the images of the dead wardens and soldiers as well as the demons that had killed them. She expressed her concerns to Cullen two nights before their departure from Skyhold.

"Other than my brother's arrogance to his superiors, is that he got a scar on his right eyebrow. What good will that do me when the time comes to see him." Yet the princess that she once was so long ago grew excited at the thoughts of all the fun that came with royal balls.

"It will be alright, Dear."

* * *

"Inquisitor!"

"Yes, Embassador?" Evelyn was about to run out the war room, heading for the tavern to meet with some of her friends, when Josephine had grabbed her arm, stopping her in her tracks.

"Your dress came in," The woman said with a pleased smile. "Would you like to try it on?"

An hour or so later Josephine and a few other servants were lacing the Inquisitor up in a very grand dress back in her quarters. The dress was deep emerald green in color, complementing her eyes perfectly; it clung to her bosom and hips then flared out just above her knees with large fluffed feathers dyed green and black. The sleeves that fell off of her shoulders made it modest enough to overlook it's tightness. She thought it a bit scandalous, but perhaps that was the point (for some reason). An elven woman was pulling at the corset, making the tops of Evelyn's breast peek out over the neckline of the dress.

"Josie?" Evelyn said sucking in a breath. Her friend was by her side looking into the mirror that was set up in front of them. "Don't you think it's a bit ridiculous for me to wear a dress when I could be chasing a mercenary or something through the palace?"

"I thought as much so," She knelt down by her feathered skirt. Unseeing to anyone who didn't know it was there, Josephine pulled at a small lace and the feathered part of the skirt fell to the floor. The fabric fell straight to about her knees. It allowed much less restriction of her legs, so she was able to run. No more uncomfortable than her old Circle robes."I had it made that you can tear this away."

"Brilliant."

"And since it is a grand masquerade," Josephine walked over to a small package on Evelyn's desk that laid next to the larger one the dress had come in. She pulled out an intricate gold mask inlaid with small emeralds. One of the servants quickly pulled and laced the skirt back up while Josephine was over by the desk. The embassador stepped behind her, intertwining the gold ribbon attached to the mask with her hair in a braid. "Your very own mask."

There was a bang as the door to her room smacked against the wall. Bull, Varric, Cole, Dorian, and Blackwall all charged up the steps, the Qunari leading the way. They all simultaneously stopped as they spotted her. The women all turned to the commotion. Josephine put her hands on her hips, irritated.

"Boss-" Bull was ogling her. Even with Dorian present he couldn't force himself to look away from her voluptuous figure.

"You're-" The Grey Warden was blushing.

"Feathers!" Cole shouted excited. He ran forward to her and got down to look at the voluminous skirt.

"No, Kid!" Varric grabbed the back of the spirits shirt, pulling back a few feet.

Dorian smacked Bull across the shoulder before walking up the Inquisitor. "He's right, Cole. Don't touch." A pouty Cole sat down beside the feather skirt. He observed each piece carefully. Then the Tevinter directed his attention to Evelyn. "You look absolutely ravishing."

"It's been a long time since I've gone to a ball," She said blissfully turning back to the mirror. "I'm sure it will be interesting,"


	14. Chapter 14

Josephine finished tightening the laces of Evelyn's corset just as there was a knock on the door. The dirty mirror opposite of the two women gave a slight indication of how the Inquisitor would appear for the ball. The Inquisition had most of it's forces camped just north of the Inn where the Inquisitor and some dignitaries were staying. They would be traveling to Halamshiral tonight which was a mere hour or so away as compared to the amount of time it would take to travel from Skyhold to the Winter Palace.

"Come in," Evelyn said sucking in a breath. The door opened and, since they were facing the door, the mage saw the man whom she admired dearly walk in with his formal clothes on.

"Inquisitor? Are you-" His jaw dropped not much unlike those of her companions that had walked in on her earlier. A slight redness formed in his cheeks. "Maker's breath."

"Give us a minute, Embassador." Josephine gave Evelyn a nod and left, closing the door behind her. Cullen took a step more in the room. "Want to assist me with my mask?"

She motioned to the golden half mask that was on the table next to the door. That's when she noticed he was holding a small package in his hands. He began to speak before she could ask him what it was. "Aren't Orleasian nobles the only ones who can wear masks?"

"Since it's a masquerade I think they'll make an exception. I assume Josephine got it in the first place because she still considers me part of the Trevelyan nobility which I am not." He set the package down and gently grasped the mask in his hands.

He stepped behind her to tie the ribbon into a knot at the back of her head. "Is that good?"

"I'm sure the other advisors would say otherwise, but yes, I think so." She felt his hands lingering near her head. They dropped to her bare shoulders, touching the soft skin there. The looking glass showed, if not a bit cloudy, representation of the two.

"Personally, I think you look better without a big gold piece covering your face." Cullen muttered. He swept her hair away from the side of her neck. He placed small kisses there. Her lips upturned in a smirk.

"Oh, I don't know. If not for this grand masquerade I wouldn't get to see you in that attire." The kisses stopped and the Commander's face twisted into a displeased look.

"It's uncomfortable, itchy, and stiff. I absolutely hate it." He pulled away from her, going back to the table. "I got something for you."

She was still looking in the mirror, nitpicking her appearance one last time. Carefully, Evelyn took a step in the wretched shoes Leliana forced her to wear. At first she was wobbly but started to understand how to adjust. Finally reaching the distance from the spot she was at to the table, Evelyn placed on Cullen's shoulder to steady herself. "I'm not accustomed to receiving gifts."

"Then do not consider it a gift," He opened the package cautiously. Through the mask, the Inquisitor's eyes saw a glint of gold. She then clearly saw a necklace inside it's square silk wrapped box. It's chain was made of thin pieces of gold interconnected leading down to the pendant which was the Inquisition insignia, about two inches long, also made from gold. "Consider it a thank you."

Flustered, Evelyn's voice was stuck in her throat for a moment. She coughed once and said, "A thank you for what?"

He lifted the luminous necklace and once more went behind the woman, this time to clasp the necklace around her neck. There was a slight urge to look back into the mirror but Evelyn decided against it. Cullen stepped back around to look at her directly.

"Things haven't been easy for either of us in life, I understand this now. Yet with you standing here or when I watch you read in the chantry or have you sleep by my side, I feel those troubles ease up little by little. I want to thank you for that."

She shook her head. "This is too much."

"I'm sorry. Is this too sudden?" Cullen started to rub the back of his neck, nervously. He stepped away from her, eyebrows raised.

"No! I love it. It's just very extravagant. I don't know if I can accept it."

"I will hear nothing of that." He held out his arm to her. "We must be off, Inquisitor. The empress is waiting."

* * *

A servant walked by with a tray of drinks, and after detaining the Grand Duchess, Evelyn found herself in need of a drink. The Inquisitor grabbed two flutes of the wine, downing both in two large liquid calmed her in an instant, and she closed her eyes, relaxed. At the beginning of the night she heard the insults pertaining to her magical abilities under the breaths of the nobles. Yet even with the starting disapproval she had managed to sway the court in her favor. Empress Celene was safe, for the moment. Florainne and Gaspard were both dealt with. Briala and the empress seemed to have reconnected. The Inquisition acquired Celene's liaison, Morrigan, who Evelyn thought to be shifty at best. For the time being everything appeared to be alright, but the night was still young. Evelyn opened her elven man holding the drinks gave her a bewildered look which made her quickly put the empty glasses back on the tray. She scampered off, a bit embarrassed. She exited from the main hall to a less crowded balcony.

"Inquisitor Trevelyan?" A young man sauntered over to the woman. He wore a mask made of a dark material embedded with small rubies. It was unlike any the Inquisitor had seen that night. His formal wear was also dark, splashes of red here and there."A word?"

"Why, of course," She attempted to keep her well mannered tone but as the night went on it strained her patience to do so. The man lead her to a corner a few feet from the other partygoers. A feeling of worry formed in the pit of her stomach. Perhaps the fun with Florianne wouldn't be the only interesting thing that happened tonight. Evelyn prepared herself for another attack.

What he did next shocked the Inquisitor. Instead of pulling a weapon on her, the man simply removed his mask. No such action would be acceptable in Orleasian society, therefore she deduced that this man was no Orleasian. He had tan skin (not much unlike her own), and a scarred face. The man had vibrant green eyes that showed he was still in his youth, there was cockiness and overconfidence in their depths. He subtly reminded her of Dorian yet more familiar than the Tevinter man. "I cannot believe they can wear these things on a daily basis."

"I know you, don't I? You sound like you are from the Free Marches." She took a step back. Her brain was working a mile a minute trying to understand. This man was too young to be just another Bann or Duke. "Who are you?"

"I have preposition for you, Inquisitor," He purposely dodged her questioning about his identity. "I have trained for ten years as a warrior. I am a leader as well as a noble. Fancy titles do no matter to me any longer however. In my years of service I've realized that I want to make a difference. I wish to join the Inquisition."

She stared at the man, mouth agape. "Straight to the point are we? My, my! If you do intend to do become an agent you need to at least tell me your name. And it wouldn't hurt to tell me which line of nobility you came from as well, so I am not to step on anyone's toes."

The man looked out over the balcony. A deep sigh escaped him. There was no hiding it,"My name is Garrett Trevelyan. I don't think you need me to explain the rest."

Another waiter walked by with a silver tray with drinks. Evelyn grabbed a flute and sipped at the fiery liquid, avoiding the man's eyes. _How could I have forgoten?_

"You can say something."

"You could have started with that. I received your message and agreed to meet with you It was unnecessary to try to prolong this conversation without mentioning it, Brother. " The last word sounded strange on her tongue. "I'm sure the Inquisition would be glad to have you, but I do not believe your father would approve."

"Evelyn! No matter what he did when you left for the circle you are my sister. He is your father, too, just as his wife is your mother."

"None of that matters I'm afraid. I will not be held accountable by the Trevelyan nobles by your choice to join the Inquisition should they disapprove."

He faced his sister with crossed arms. "Personally, I believe that you simply don't want me to join because I'm-"

"I don't care who joins my ranks," Evelyn's voice had risen a great deal making the balcony clear out. "Templars, mages, nobles, or peasants. I don't hold bias or prejudice. What I care about is what is going to endanger my organization and the risk you are taking by going behind _our _father's back by insisting to join paints a target on the Inquisition's back."

The yelling coming from Evelyn caught the ear of Cullen. He stood just beside the doorway of the balcony, out of sight but close enough to hear the conversation.

"Before you go and make a rash decision I suggest you take into consideration the lives of all that serve the Inquisition, My Lord. Consult the head of your house and then we will see. If you would please leave me, Sir." Evelyn drank the rest of the glass of... whatever Orleasian's served as cocktails at these things. Garrett put his mask back on before leaving in a huff. Cullen entered at this time.

"What was that about?" The man rested a hand on her bare shoulder. She set the empty flute down on the wall surrounding the balcony. Her hand grasped Cullen's.

"It- I, uh, it's been a long night. I'll talk to you more about it later."A few cheers came from inside the ballroom, and the music started up again.

"You're stressed, Love. It's understandable." She gave him a small smile. "May you remove your mask?"

"I suppose, but may ask why?" Evelyn faced him then. She started to untie the ribbons that were holding the gold mask in place. She gently set the expensive accessory piece next to the glass.

"So I can admire your beautiful face," An exaggerated eye roll met him when he said this. He remembered that earlier in the night with all the commotion going on she had asked him to save her a dance, so he held out his hand to her. "I may never get another chance to do so again. My lady, may I have this dance?"

That got her brother off of her mind. Evelyn's face lit up. "I'd love to."

She set her hand in his and he swept the woman into his arms. A giggle escaped her which accounted for the alcohol she had consumed in the short amount of time. Silently, she told herself that she was cut off for the night. It wasn't good for the Inquisition's image to have a drunken Inquisitor stumbling around the Winter Palace. "I thought you said you didn't dance."

"I don't," Cullen pressed his lips to her ear and murmured, "But for you I will try."

* * *

_So sorry for the late update! The only reason it's this late is because I broke three fingers and couldn't type very easily as you can imagine. Thanks to all my loyal readers!_


	15. Chapter 15

_This is a long chapter, longest yet! 7,000 views in and the story is just getting good. Enjoy!_

* * *

"We have received some letters from a few interested parties," Josephine told the Inquisitor the next day at the war table. The events at the Winter Palace had left Evelyn with a bad taste in her mouth. Not only would she have to judge the Grand Duchess later that day, but after her own appearance in Halamshiral nobles had been mailing Josephine practically nonstop. Not that she cared, but she was an excellent player of The Game.

A snicker came from the spymaster. Evelyn looked up from the map to the others, confused. Apparently she had missed something. Her mind was racing on matters in Crestwood, but the conversation between the advisors had gotten her sidetracked. "Pardon?"

Cullen was blushing profusely and gave the embassador a dirty look.. "It was nothing."

"A little more than nothing, I think." Leliana nudged him with her hip, suggestively. She turned her attention back to the Inquisitor. "I can't believe you didn't notice the gaggle of women that surrounded him like flies to honey all night. Asking if he was married."

"Or for a dance," Josephine added.

"Didn't one woman even grab your-" Leliana continued.

"It's not important!" Cullen locked his eyes on the table. "Now Inquisitor we have forces in Crestwood that-"

"Grabbed his what?!" All of Evelyn's attention that had once been focused on politics was turned on Cullen.

"Can we please discuss-"

"His bottom!" Josephine said then bursted out laughing. Leliana joined her while Cullen avoided Evelyn's eyes. She never considered herself to be a jealous woman, but a swell of anger emerged inside of her. The thought of women, rich and powerful women, lusting after Cullen was something that enraged her. Fools offering him jewels, money, their bodies. She could feel the tingling of magic at her fingertips. It was possible for her to restrain herself from acting on this magic, for the time being. At least until she could take this built up magic on an inanimate object (her magic always was strongest when her temper flared).The two women stopped their laughter when they saw the look on their leader's face as well as the delicate flames dancing on her fingertips.

"Why didn't you tell me about this?" The question was obviously directed at Cullen.

He gave her an apologetic look. "It was unimportant, Love."

Evelyn's nostrils flared, and her lips puckered. The two women who were moments before pleased at the discomfort were exceedingly nervous: Josephine scribbling nonsense on parchment to appear busy, Leliana switching the weight on either leg. The tension in the air was thick. Cullen reached for Evelyn's hand across the war table, his gloved hand protected from the fire. Josephine gave Leliana a glance, knowing they would have to apologize for this later. The Inquisitor was not a woman who was quick to anger, but her wrath was known throughout Skyhold. After she had arrived back that one afternoon from the Western Approach most chose to stay clear when she was in a mood. No one would want to be on the receiving end of an angered Evelyn Trevelyan. Something inside of the mage, be it self control or her tiring patience, calmed her in the slightest. She returned to her maps, sliding Cullen's hand of her own nonchalantly. The flames extinguished. "What was it you were saying, Commander? Something about Crestwood?"

* * *

Later that day Evelyn stormed into Cullen's office, ready to yell at him about his secrecy, only to find it empty save for a woman soldier. The woman was going through reports with her head down. "Inquisitor, If you are looking for Commander Cullen he went to speak with Seeker Pentaghast."

The Inquisitor spun on her heel, out the door she had just entered.

* * *

"You asked for my opinion and I've given it. Why would you expect it to change?" Evelyn stood just beside the doorway, out of sight from the two warriors. She had heard them speaking about halfway through their conversation, and she had no hint as to what they were talking, or arguing rather, about.

The soft and gentle Cullen whom the eavesdropping mage was familiar with was gone, replaced by the fierce warrior. It was a rare thing for her to experience, this side of him. "I expect you to keep your word. It's relentless! I can't-"

"You give yourself too little credit." Evelyn leaned slightly to look into the room. Cassandra and Cullen were standing across from each other. The look on the commander's face reminded her greatly of the templars at the Circle of Ostwick, it was harsh and bitter, unforgiving.

"If I am unable to keep what vows I kept, then nothing good has come of this. Would you rather save face than admit-" His tone so nasty and vile made Evelyn's anger dissipate. She was concerned to say the least, so she went forth into the building. As soon as Cullen saw her his face softened minimally, and his words turned to mush in his mouth. Evelyn walked slowly up to the two, but for as soon as she got close he brushed past her out of the room. "Forgive me."

"And people say I'm stubborn. This is ridiculous." Cullen heard the seeker say this last part before he slammed the door close.

Evelyn looked to Cassandra who had turned away. "Can you care to explain what the hell just happened?"

"Cullen told you that he is no longer taking lyrium, yes?"

"He's what?!" Cassandra looked over her shoulder at the Inquisitor. Her eyes were asking so many questions which her mouth were not able to speak due to her shock.

"So he didn't tell you," The seeker shook her head as if to say 'idiot'. "He told me to watch him for changes. It can be a hazardous process. I respect his decision."

That man! Why didn't he tell me? Does he even understand how dangerous that can be? "So what does this mean exactly?"

"As I said I respect his decision but," Cassandra let out a sigh. "He thinks otherwise. He has asked that I recommend a replacement for him."

Evelyn's eyes popped out of her head. She took a seat on an upturned crate. Having lived in a family trained Templars and her many years at the circle she should have picked up on the signs. Lyrium withdrawal was a nasty ordeal which she had lain witness to many times. How could she not have noticed his pain? "And?"

"I refused. It's not necessary. Besides, it would destroy him. He's come so far."

"Why didn't he come to me?" The Inquisitor shook her head in disbelief. She said this more to herself than to her friend.

"We had an agreement long before you ever joined us. As a seeker, I could evaluate the dangers." Cassandra rested a comforting hand on Evelyn's shoulder. The touch brought back the night of the ball when Cullen had done so after she had spoken with Garrett. "He wouldn't want to risk your disappointment."

Again she shook her head. "Is there anything we can do to change his mind?"

"If anyone could, it's you. Mages have made their suffering known," Evelyn solemnly nodded at this. "But templars never have. They are bound to the order, mind and soul, with someone always holding their lyrium leash ."

She knew well of the repercussions. Looking out her bedroom window as a child and seeing the men suddenly fall, crumpled on the ground. Others coughing up blood while training. Their screams were heard throughout the palace when the nightmares took hold. These were things that had haunted her as child. These were things she chose to keep buried under the rest of her hardships. To imagine Cullen going through these same things would eat away at her resolve. Cassandra's hand squeezed the Inquisitor's shoulder reassuring. "Cullen has the chance to break that leash, to prove to himself- and anyone else who should follow suit- that it is possible. He can do this. I knew that from when we met in Kirkwall."

She let go of Evelyn's shoulder and strode out of the room. "Talk to him. Decide if now is the time."

* * *

The door to Cullen's office was ajar. Evelyn, cautious as ever, walked through the doorway, barely missing a flying box. A yell came from the former Templar when he threw from the desk. He looked up to see the Inquisitor pressed against the door, hand clutched to her chest. "Maker's breath! I-I didn't hear you enter- I-"

He sighed and starting to walk around his desk. "Forgive me,"

Her face recovered from the initial shock of the box being thrown. "If you need to talk about this-"

"You don't have to-" His cut off and he grabbed the corner of the desk for support. Evelyn rushed to his side. He was much bigger than she, so when she tried to pick him up so he could sit on the desk there was a bit of a struggle. A sweat had broken out over the man's forehead. "I never meant for this to interfere."

"Hush. Relax." Evelyn placed her hands on either side of his head and casted a healing spell. It wasn't a powerful one, just enough to keep the painful headache away for a few more hours. "Are you going to be alright?"

"Yes," He stepped away from her and the table, her arms falling limply by her side. "You asked me long ago what happened in Ferelden's circle. It was taken over by abominations. The Templars, my friends, were slaughtered."

Evelyn flinched at the thought. Abominations were not an uncommon thing in Circles around Thedas. She had seen the transformation herself; it wasn't pretty. "I was tortured. They tried to break my mind. How can someone be the same person after that?" There was a brief pause as he took a breath. "Still, I wanted to serve. They sent me to Kirkwall. I trusted my Knight-Commander and for what? Her fear of mages ended in madness."

Evelyn stood next to the Commander. "Kirkwall's circle fell. Innocent people died in the streets. Can't you see why I want nothing to do with that life?"

She felt her eyes well with tears, ones of sadness and frustration. "Of course I can. I-"

"Don't!" He moved away from her again. "You should be questioning what I've done."

Then he started to pace in front of her. "I thought this would be better - that I would regain some control over my life. But these thoughts won't leave me! How many lives depend on our success? I swore myself to this cause."

His hands moved in big gestures, like he was trying to convince himself as well as the woman before him. He stopped next to the bookshelf, resting his hand there. "I will not give less to the Inquisition than I did the Chantry. I should be taking it." Suddenly he punched the wooden shelf, a few books falling. He sighed a tormented sigh. "I should be taking it."

"This doesn't have to be about the Inquisition. Is that what you want?" She took a wary step towards him.

Cullen looked at her with the saddened eyes of a kicked pup. The look of concern on her face made him feel that much worse. Once more he looked away from her. He exhaled slowly, dropped his hand from the shelf, and said, "No. But… these memories have always haunted me, if they become worse, if cannot endure this."

She pressed her hand to the side of his neck, forcing him to look at her. "You can."

Another deep breath. "All right."

"I'll be right here along side you." Evelyn's hand stroked at his skin. "This is dangerous. I'm not worried about your ability to do your job. I'm worried about you. My family trained templars. I know what you will be going through. It's not going to be easy."

A brief smile graced the handsome man's face. "I'm well aware."

"Just," She didn't know exactly what words to say to express her concern. "Please keep my updated on your wellbeing. Come to me for healing. To talk. You can tell me anything, you know that."

He gave her a nod.

"Which means you should tell me the next time a woman grabs your butt that isn't me." Evelyn raised a single eyebrow at him, and he began to blush just as he did earlier in the war room.

"Honestly, it wasn't very important."

"Maybe not at the time, but if you wanted me not to freak out I would suggest you should have told me." He grasped her hand in his, lip jutted out in an overdramatic pout. "Don't give me that look."

Then he started to bat his eyelashes at her. "What look?"

He pulled her hand up to his mouth and placed peckish kisses all over it. Evelyn started to giggle uncontrollably. "You're such an idiot."

Cullen was about to make a rebuttal, but a soldier ran into the office, out of breath. The mage pulled her hand away just the commander straightened up. Something was wrong, very wrong. "Inquisitor... There's someone coming… on the bridge!"

A horn sounded. Evelyn ran out of the room, onto the battlements. The Commander followed suit as did the soldier. "Under what banner? How many?"

"That's the thing... only one… with a banner of… a horse."

Cullen looked quizzically at his soldier. "A horse?"

"Yes, sir!"

The Inquisitor spotted the banner and the rider on a very large mount. "Fuck!"

"My lady, do you know who that it is?" Cullen couldn't make out the expression on her face. It was one the face which she displayed in the war room. "Evelyn?"

She started for the stairs, and spat over her shoulder. "It's my brother."


	16. Chapter 16

"Inquisitor!" Evelyn ignored the soldiers at the front lines, pushing past a few of them to walk out onto the bridge. The rider was one hundred feet away from entering the fortress. A strong wind made the banner he was holding ruffled widely. It was something she hadn't seen in a long time: the Trevelyan crest. The mage reached behind her back for a lyrium potion, then cursed when she realized she didn't have her pack with her. She was wearing her robes Josephine insisted she wore when she was at Skyhold. Garrett rode closer and closer to her, a wicked grin on his face. This was a look of rebellion, Evelyn recognized it from the look Sera gave her when they would go pranking. Yet those were mischievous looks, Garrett's was a more of a 'in your face' look. Fifty feet away. The late sun made the rider's armor shine with a magnificent glamor, blinding the woman for a second or two. The Inquisitor took a deep breath before summoning upon her mana pools. She raised her hands before her. Thirty feet away and the sound of the hooves on the stone intensified. _Just a little longer. _Evelyn summoned a burst of fire just in front of the horse as it was mere feet from her. Red and orange flames licked up the bridge's stone. The large mount bucked wildly at the flames, expressing his displeasure to his master. The rider did his best to stay on his saddle, yet fell clumsily to the ground, landing hard on his back. The banner and the pole it was clattered beside him. The horse ran for his life, away from the fire,off the bridge, neighing all the way.

Garrett grunted loudly as the flames extinguished. "Good show, Sister." He managed.

He started to get up, but then Evelyn pushed him down and held a small knife, one she kept on her at all times, to the man's throat. Her usual levelheaded manner distinguished when she had seen the family crest. Her hostility was a thing she could control at most times. This was not one of those times. "Silence yourself. What are you doing here?"

"I already informed you of my intentions, Evy." The casual manner in which he spoke to her stolked her rage fire.

"Inquisitor!" Cullen ran forward. "Maker's breath, why-?"

Evelyn ignored this, preoccupied with giving Garrett a look of death which only made him chuckle. Leliana ran up beside the Commander, out of breath.

"What has this gentleman done to deserve your blade at his throat, Inquisitor?"

"I was thinking that myself," Garrett announced. He pushed the hilt of the dagger away carefully. Evelyn sighed and dropped it. "Sister, I have traveled a great long way and would appreciate a hot meal."

"Piss off," She stood. Cullen gave her bewildered look, because of these harsh words she spoke so easily to him. "You come here to join the Inquisition even after I told you that doing so would paint a target on my back as well as yours. You're a liability. Go home, Garrett."

The younger brother jumped up and brushed the dust off of his shiny armor. "Oh, please, Evelyn, as if you truly care. You have nearly a hundred apostates here including yourself. Do you really think me to be a bigger liability than they?"

She stepped close to him then, her lips curling over her teeth viscously. "I asume that you failed to inform your parents about this. Well, I don't need the Trevelyan's trained Templars on my doorstep because they are searching for you. I need to protect everyone in Skyhold and that includes the Mages. Templars would be appreciated, but I prefer ones that aren't so, so ruthless."

"I, uh," Garrett looked away and took a step away from her. "I suppose I wasn't thinking."

"I suppose you weren't." She gave him one last evil glare before she turned towards the great fort. "Stay if you wish. Just know what you endanger." And with that, Evelyn strode off. Cullen longed to go after her, calm her, but the man that stood in front of him was a more pressing matter.

"Pardon me, but who are you?" Leliana asked the man, his attention turning to her. On his face he wore a pleased smile which hid his underlying fears. Years of being amongst shifty nobility had taught him this small trick. The bard continued, "Did I hear her refer to you as her brother?"

"Ah, let me introduce myself: Lord Garrett Trevelyan." He grabbed a hand which she had just barely held out for a handshake. The spymaster's first instinct was to pull it back, but the gesture, so sickly romantic, caught her off guard and a little heated. Cullen stood flabbergasted watching the scene.

Just then the ambassador who had been missing in the ordeal rushed up to the three. "Lord Trevelyan! Oh, dear me! I'm terribly sorry for-" The Antivan raised a single eyebrow at Garrett and Leliana. He turned his head to her, still bowing to the spymaster. "What is going on?"

"Lady Montilyet, how wonderful to finally meet you in person." He then bowed to her, reaching for her outstretched hand and pressing it to his lips.

"Enough of that!" Cullen roared. Garrett turned to the man. The former templar stood over him by nearly half a foot, yet he did not falter. If anything his lips turned downward into a small sneer. The commander didn't care. He was angry. Angry because this man, who was supposedly Evelyn's younger brother whom she barely remembered, was more engaged with entertaining the two women in the war council than solving what we had just done wrong. And because of this Cullen did not trust the man in the least. "Lord Trevelyan, go forth to Skyhold but be on your toes. My men will be watching your every turn."

"And who are you?"

Thousands of thoughts ran through his mind. There were a couple options for him to chose from. "I'm the commander of the Inquisitions forces. I have fought and served in the templar order for over ten years, but am now, gladly, retired. I am Cullen Rutherford and I love Evelyn."

A gasp came from Josephine, but Leliana crossed her arms with a satisfied smile (as if it had been her doing in the first place). Garrett's brow furrowed. "And?"

"And," Cullen stepped closer to him, every bit of pent up animosity escaping. "If you hurt her, know it will be the last thing you do. The. Very. Last. Thing."

The Commander stepped away from him then turned and ran after Evelyn.

* * *

Evelyn slammed the door open to the tavern. The few people that were in there at this time in the afternoon looked up in alarm, Bull being one of them. The enraged woman stormed over to the bar. "Give me a bottle of your strongest whiskey."

The dwarf was flustered for a moment before grabbing a bottle from a rack and offering it to her. She practically ripped it out of his hand. With a plop she sat down one of the stools that was pulled up to the bar. The bartender gave her an odd look and in return she gave him a nasty sneer. She put the bottle up to her mouth, pulling the cork out with her teeth and spitting on the floor. She tipped the bottle, and the whiskey poured into her mouth. The burning liquid eased the tension she hadn't realized was built up in her shoulders.

"Hey, Boss. Need someone to talk to?" The Iron Bull sat down next to the mage, not giving her any time to object.

She huffed, but then sighed. "I really want this day to be over with."

Bull waited patiently for her to continue as she took a long drink from the bottle. He took note that she rarely ever drank whiskey, usually opting for a mead or ale. He also knew that she could drink little whiskey and be drunk in a short time whereas her other choices would have taken her all night. That must have maent that she was intent on getting smashed, or that was his best guess anyway. He smiled to himself, his Ben-Hasserath training was still intact.

"The shit that happens to me," She shook her head and turned the bottle over in her hands, studying the glass. She took another long drink of the stuff.

"What happened now?" Bull asked.

"Family stuff," She said simply then drained the bottle completely. The bartender set another bottle down in front of her. The Iron Bull grabbed it and pulled the cork out with ease. She gave him an appreciative nod. The alcohol was starting to kick in, she thanked the Maker."I thought that since I was disowned would be cut away from my family, ya know? Never to be contacted, denied relationship even."

The Qunari nodded in agreement yet said nothing. He knew that she just wanted someone to listen, not to add comment.

"But now," Evelyn sighed again. She grabbed the fresh bottle and took a short sip. "After, oh, I don't know, like ten years my brother comes here, expecting to join and for what? The bloody idiot."

"What's wrong with him?"

"It's not that there's something wrong with him. It's the fact that my family trains templars and with the mages here. I don't know if I can handle having my old life, my childhood, coming into my new life. Garrett, he, I." She couldn't think of the right words. She took a deep breath. "I don't know why he's here. So he can be close to me again? So he can help restore order? I don't know who he is. I mean I don't know who he became. I just can't…" Her thought trailed off. The whiskey hit her hard then. All her problems, which she had meant to drown out with the alcohol only seemed to intensify. She slammed her head on the table. A loud groan of displeasure came out of her. "Did I mention a woman grabbed my boyfriend's butt?"

"Cullen?"

"Yeah, at the Winter Palace," Her voice was muffled. "He didn't even tell me. I had to find out from Josephine and Leliana. It's not that big of a deal but-"

"Hey, your interests are important and don't let anyone tell you different. Now sit up, Boss. People are going to start getting worried about you." Bull grabbed her arm and gently lifted her torso up. Her head lolled to the side to look at him, and he let go. "So Boyfriend?"

"Oh, shut up," Evelyn said playfully, cracking a smile. She put the bottle up to her lips and drank more of the fiery liquid.

"Have you guys done it yet?" The Inquisitor sputtered her drink. She started have a coughing fit after that, so Bull gave her large pat on the back. While her coughing started to cease

"No, no!" Her face was turning red from embarrassment. "Oh. Maker."

"Well, how far have you gone then?" Bull asked, a wide grin upon his face.

"Why does it matter to you?" Evelyn continued to drink from her second bottle of whiskey.

He shrugged. "I'm bored and this is interesting. Also Dorian wants to know, but he's too afraid to ask after your little spat."

"Oh, please that was weeks ago. He can't still be worried about what I'll have Sera do to him." She turned the bottle upside down to get the last droplets out.

The Qunari gave her a glare. "By the way, stealing our clothes was not fun."

"It was for me." Evelyn started to giggle uncontrollably. The dwarf set another full bottle down in front of her. She leaned into the man's large shoulder as her laughing persisted.

"The whiskey I take it?"

She nodded, and reached for the next bottle. The Qunari pulled it out of her reach before she could grab it. "I think you've had enough, Evy."

A crease formed between her eyebrows and her giggling stopped abruptly. "Give me that or I _will_ set you on fire."

Just then Cullen ran into the tavern. "Evelyn?" He looked around before spotting her at the bar. "There you are!"

She looked at him with a softer expression than the one she had been giving Bull. "Oh, Cully Wully's here! He can help Evelyn get her whiskey! Yay!"

He walked over to her with confusion written all over his face. He looked at Bull holding the bottle out of reach from the mage. _She's drunk. Fantastic._ Could he honestly blame her though? The past months had beaten down upon her with no mercy. She deserved her breaks when they presented themselves. This one was a little untimely, he guessed that was the best way to put it. "Come on, Love. Let's go sleep this off."

"What? Why?" Evelyn jutted out her lip into a pout.

"Because you have a big day tomorrow." Cullen lied. He reached for her waist and helped her up. As he suspected, she was drunk and therefore couldn't manage to work her legs. "Remember the King of Ferelden is coming to visit? I thought I told you about it this morning."

"But King Alistair's in Antiva." Evelyn was correct about this but her drunkenness and Cullen's lie played a trick on her mind. "Oh, no! We must get a room ready for him!"

Cullen swept his arm underneath her knees and picked her up completely. He waved to Bull who gave him an apologetic look. Evelyn kept chatting to him as he carried her through the main hall, but when they finally got up to her quarters she had fallen soundly asleep against his chest.


	17. Chapter 17

_Hey! Just to let everyone know I have a tumblr account which will be posting artwork of my own as well as others and when chapter updates should be expected, so follow Emerald Warden! _

* * *

"I don't care what time it is! She needs her rest," Evelyn awoke to the sound of quiet arguing at her door. She blinked a few times, the sleep clinging to her eyes. _Waking up hungover again. _She cursed at herself as she sat up. Cullen must have changed her out of her robes sometime last night she reasoned. Her sheer nightgown left gooseflesh upon her skin, trailing up her bare arms. As she stepped off the bed on wobbly legs she stretched her arms over her head. The stone floor made her shiver as she walked across it to the hearth, barefooted. Her arms dropped fast from the air to cover her breasts, nipples perked from the brisk morning. She knelt down next to the fireplace, setting flame to the logs inside of it. The tingling warmth made her smile, and she rose her hands before the small fire to heat them up. She continued to listen closely to the people talking."The man can wait! She had a long day yesterday. I'm sure the last thing she wants or needs is to see him. Leave her be, Josephine."

"And what do I tell Lord Trevelyan then?" They spoke in hushed whispers, thinking that the Inquisitor was still asleep. Evelyn rose from her kneeling position and peered down the stairs to see Cullen in his nightclothes (which consisted of loose fitting trousers and not much else) speaking with Josephine, already primed and ready for the new day.

"Tell him-" Cullen turned to see the Inquisitor walk leisurely down the steps, an amused smile upon her face and a flirtatious sway to her hips. She stepped down to the last step, and, on her tip toes, gave the man a soft kiss on the cheek. He relaxed and pulled her close to the side of his chest with one arm around her shoulders. Evelyn looked to Josephine then.

"Your brother needs to speak with you immediately. There are things the two of you must go over." The words spilled out of her like a waterfall overflooded from spring. Her voice sounded muffled to Evelyn, garbled from her headache. "He-" The Inquisitor rose a hand to stop her banter.

"Tell him I am," She thought about what word to use for a moment. Her eyes drifted up to the half naked man beside her. A smile that made his eyes crinkle with happiness graced his handsome face. He bent down and kissed the top of her head. "Indisposed."

Josephine gave her a slightly irritated look, but seeing the two together made her happy deep down. She was glad that Cullen was there for her, supporting her. So, Josephine decided Evelyn deserved a day off once in awhile."As you say, Inquisitor. Do enjoy yourselves." She gave a formal bow and turned away, heading down the stairs to the main hall. Cullen, who had been gripping the doorframe quite fiercely, closed the door with a thud.

"Goodmorning, Dear." He turned to face her, pressing her tight against his chest. She took a deep breath against his skin; his scent of leather and parchment was strangely comforting to her. "How are you feeling?"

Evelyn sighed and thought about that. Her head wasn't pounding nearly as bad as it had been when she had gone drinking at the Crooked Goose Inn nor her all girls party. Yet still, a bitter taste in the back of her throat remained. Suddenly, her stomach growled loudly. She gave her commander a shy smile. "I skipped dinner last night."

He laughed good heartedly. "I do believe your dinner consisted of whiskey, whiskey, and, oh, more whiskey." Her cheeks flushed, embarrassed. She looked down to her feet, but the only thing that met her eyes was her chest pressed firmly against his hard chest and stomach muscles. A strong hand, gentle yet rough and calloused, touched her cheek slowly moving to her chin and tilting it up. "I can get you some food if you would like."

"I can go with you,"

"You are indisposed." He said with a smirk. "Remember?"

"Very well," She sighed dramatically. Stretching, she kissed the tip of his nose lightly and quickly before returning her head against his chest. He squeezed her tightly then let go.

"Take it easy while I'm gone," He murmured as he opened the door.

"Uh, Cullen?"

"Yes?"

"Walking around Skyhold half dressed is not very _proper_," She stressed the last word very sarcastically making him laugh. "Just imagine what your soldiers would think!"

And he did think of it. His recruits wouldn't be able to look at him like the authority figure he is if he acted in such a way. "Now that you mention that perhaps I should-" He made a move to go past her, but she stopped him with a hand on his chest.

"I'm just teasing, Cullen." She took her hand off of him and motioned to the door. "Go."

* * *

Cullen managed to raid the kitchen for sweets while a servants back was turned. He then made it through the lower corridors to a staircase which led up to the main hall. He was able to scurry past the few dignitaries without a sideways look (possibly due to the fact they did not recognize him without his pauldrons on).

"Cullen?" She said when the door opened. When he walked back up the steps to Evely he found her sitting at her desk with her eyebrows scrunched together. She didn't look up. "Is that you?"

"That it is. Why are you working? I wasn't gone that long, was I?" He came around her backside, setting the pastries down on the corner of the desk. Warm hands started to need at tension in her shoulders. It seemed her sluggish demeanor had dissipated while he had been gone. "What's the matter, Love?"

She held a small piece of parchment in her hands. "Leliana must have dropped this off some time ago." He narrowed his eyes reading the delicately written words… _Assaulted Sir Teglin Sulehe at the Winter Palace in defense of the Inquisitor herself or so Commander Cullen claimed… _"Cullen?" The warmth left her shoulders, and she looked up at the man behind her, confused. "What happened?"

Face flushed, he rubbed the back of his neck, clearly flustered. "It was uh, a misunderstanding."

Evelyn looked back to the paper, reading and rereading the delicately written words, flustered and confused."It says you punched a man in the face, and he landed on a buffet table."

"See a complete misunderstanding!" He smiled at her which only made her stand, coming inches within his face. She had a single thin eyebrow raised in a menacing look. Arms crossed, lips pursed, she waited for him to continue. He sighed sadly in defeat. "Nobles can be cruel."

"I am aware, but that doesn't have anything-"

"They were saying things about you!" He started to walk back and forth in front of her. It hurt her to see him like this. The pacing reminded her of when he told her of his lyrium withdrawal."Words of hate, lies. Awful things. And they were saying them about the woman I love. Can you honestly expect me to react any different?" He stopped in front of her to see that her face was passive.

"You have to be able to keep our relationship separate from our duties." She said this with a stern face, but her eyes spoke that she approved of what he did, as his lover not the Inquisitor. She tried and failed to ignore her happiness when he said that he loved her. The corner of her mouth upturned slightly. "I may have done something of the sort myself."

Cullen wrapped his hand around one thin hip, pulling her close. "Oh?"

"There was a woman at the ball. She had asked if you were married. Then she touched your shoulder. When I walked by I may have set flame to her skirt." She hid her face against his chest which was rumbling with pleased laughter. He planted a kiss on top of her head. "It's not like I didn't notice the hoard of women following you around, I just tried to ignore it. The Inquisitor can't act like some jealous teenager."

"I find it rather enjoyable to see you so embarrass. Imagine my Evelyn jealous." She tilted her head up to look into his eyes. There was humor in their depths. Love, too. Her gaze drifted lower to his lips, and suddenly her hand was on his neck, pulling his face to her own. Their lips met in a searing hot kiss. A fast rhythm of lips moving, and hand touching. He groaned loudly and pushed her up against the desk. The papers and glasses on the desk rattled. Evelyn pulled away, one of the man's hands remaining on her waist, to quickly rearrange the things that had fallen. She spotted the sweets rolls covered with a honey glaze on a plate, and girlish squeal escaped her lips. He laughed quietly and said,"One of your favorites I was informed."

"Indeed." She reached for one sticky roll and took a large bite. Excess glaze dripped down her lip, the creamy white liquid dribbling down her chin. She licked away what she could then sweeping the rest up with her finger, lapping at it with her lithe tongue. Cullen bit down hard on his bottom lip to suppress a groan. His shaft hardened at the sight. She gave him a fiendish smile, knowing just the affect she had on him. She ate the rest of the pastry and sucked the sticky residue off her fingers. His resolve broke, and then he was on her, pressing his mouth hard to hers. His predatory pounce barely took her by surprise. She kissed him back with equal force. Her hands roamed down his bare back and shoulders, marveling at the muscle. Nails digging at the flesh, craving the feel of skin on skin. Cullen licked her lips, the sweet taste of the honey lingering on them; his tongue parted her lips and dueled with hers. He moved his hands from her neck to shoulder to waist then to rest on her hips. She let out a yip as he grasped her buttocks, lifting her to sit on the desk. Once more the desk shook and Evelyn pulled away, eyeing the papers covered across the wooden surface. She looked back at him with an apology in her eyes. "Just because I get to take the day off doesn't mean I get to skip reading my reports."

Cullen gave her an exasperated look, pleading with his eyes. She bit her lip trying to ignore his bulge pressing against the inner part of her thigh. She had to swallow hard before continuing, "I have to. Maybe you should go get some of yours and then we'll get them done in half the time." She offered a weak smile.

"And you say I can never stop working." He placed a chaste kiss on her forehead then gathered his shirt off the floor by the bed, then headed for his office.


	18. Chapter 18

Sweet giggles filled the infirmary. "Mama, I want to see the baby!"

An exhausted mother, of now two, let her daughter get a full view of her new brother swaddled up in numerous the girl, the boy was very small, very fragile. His skin was just turning a vibrant pink rather than the snow white he had been only a few minutes before. The woman was scared that he wouldn't survive; not crying as left her womb, and extremely pale. Yet now, he was breathing softly against his mother's chest. The young woman said to her daughter, "Be careful, Darling. He's sleeping."

The small child eyed the baby with fascination, mouth agape in wonder. The woman had never seen her daughter so quiet. As gently as she could, the little girl traced a delicate finger along the curve of the baby's full cheek. Opening his eyes, the boy saw his sister and sighed happily, a tiny smile gracing his cherub face. "Mama! He smiled at me!"

"Shh," Her mother whispered, yet she couldn't contain her smile. "Not so loud."

"Are you bothering you baby brother?" Called her father teasingly from the doorway. Judging from his sweaty face and tangled hair he must have been in a rush to make it back to his newborn in time. The woman smiled up to the man, happy to finally see his return.

"No, Papa! I swear!" The little girl's eyes got big and scared at the accusation. The man ran towards the girl and swept her up in his arms, making her squeal in delight. "No, Papa! No tickles!"

"Cullen quit harassing your daughter!"

If he slept, demons. If he remained awake, pain. At least Evelyn had been able to sleep peacefully, soundly. All night she had been smiling and whispering nonsensical things in her sleep. The Commander listened intently, but did not get a clue as to what was occupying her dream. Much to his dismay, he could smell lyrium coursing through her veins. An incomprehensible thirst raged his throat, and, nothing, he knew, was able to quench that other than the turquoise solution. Being next to the Mage was pure torture. Perhaps if he kissed her lips he may be able to get whatever trace of the potion that was left there.

Just then, sheepishly, Evelyn opened her eyes. A look of pure love resided in the depths of those emerald eyes."Morning, Love."

"Morning," He nearly growled, trying to keep the thirst at bay.

The sweet dream disappearing, Evelyn took notice of her Lover's changed attitude, sitting up to look at him. "What's wrong?"

He shrugged. "Couldn't sleep."

A mindless female hand grazed up his bare chest, fondling the soft bit of hair there. "Any particular reason behind that?"

"Yes," Cullen said. Hiding the truth from her would only hurt her more should she find out later. The Commander took a deep breath, letting the feeling of her fingertips upon him relax him. If she did this right before bed then maybe I would be able to sleep! "You smell."

Her hand froze, and her eyebrows rose, hurt by his two words. "I'm sorry. Do... you want me to bathe?"

"No, I mean," He struggled to find the right words to explain the intoxicated scent that lingered in her veins and skin and lips. "Ever since I stopped taking lyrium, I've been able to notice the smell of it coming off of you. It's... " He shook his head, tears stinging his eyes, frustrated.

"I don't know what to do," Evelyn said sadly. An idea popped in her head, and she said, "Maybe-"

"You can't stop taking lyrium," Cullen harshly cut her off. He knew Evelyn well. She would do anything to stop seeing him in pain, even if it would put her in pain instead. "I wouldn't ask you to do that. It would leave you weak. That's not something you need right now."

Evelyn glowered at him. "Says who? I'm not going on any trips soon. All I have going on right now is dealing with my idiot brother."

"Evy, I said no. Mages need lyrium." Cullen sat up too, leaning his forehead against hers. "Promise me you will keep using it as needed."

The Inquisitor huffed irritably. "I suppose I promise."

He kissed her cheek sweetly. "Come on. We have a big day ahead of us."

"What do you mean?" Evelyn asked suspiciously. As far as she was aware there was nothing that needed attending to, or rather nothing that couldn't wait till a later time.

"You'll see,"

A soldier had beckoned Cullen at breakfast, leaving the Inquisitor alone besides the servants, the only other ones up this early. After breakfast, the Mage went back up to her room, finishing the few reports she had enough effort to finish. Then she decided to go for a walk. Evelyn had searched the entirety of the Skyhold, or at least, what felt like it to her, yet found nobody. She finally took residence in the library, deciding to take the moments she had to herself, for what felt like the first time since before the Conclave, to read in relaxation. Settling herself in Dorian's cozy alcove, Evelyn grabbed the first volume of Swords and Shields off the shelf and began to read. The soft light of morning filled the space. "Wow," Evelyn muttered to herself. She had reached the second chapter and already she found it to be cheesy beyond anything she could have pictured Varric writing. How does Cassandra like this? Yet, she read on.

The morning drew on into afternoon, afternoon to evening, and the Inquisitor continued reading. Finishing the first book, and going on to the second. No one entered the library in all those hours she spent reading. Surely, there were important matters to deal with in the war room but if no one was to call for her...

"Higher, Dorian!" A frazzled Josephine yelled. They had sprung this plan on her a tad bit later than what would be appropriate, and now she was struggling to get everything in place. At the moment Dorian was levitating decorations into place inside of the tavern. There was a sudden poof at her side, making her curse loudly in Antivan.

"I want to help, Josephine," Cole said plainly. He was playing with a mouse he found in

upper corridors of Skyhold.

"Cole," Josephine said, trying to calm her racing heart. "Uh, you can-"

"Help me, Kid." Varric called from the bar. Josephine sighed in relief, thanking the dwarf silently for being her saving grace. "You know how she likes her ale, right?"

Cole grinned letting the rodent run free from his hands, scurrying across the tavern floor. With a skip in his step, the spirit ran to the dwarf, excited at this task.

"Josephine?" The advisor jumped again. This time it was Solas that had appeared next to her, but he had simply walked up to her with a quiet reserve rather than transported.

"What is it now?"

The elf was taken aback by her harshness. "I merely wanted to know where I should put the gifts." He motioned to the line of servants and soldiers crowding behind him, making a line out the door. Some carried large packages with stark wrapping, other were ornately decorated in silver and gold, most likely gifts from nobels.

Josephine smacked her head in distress. "I didn't even think about that!"

Hours later, everything mostly in order, Cullen left the tavern in search of his lover. If I were Evelyn, where would I be? At first, he checked the sanctuary, no luck there, then her bedroom, not a soul, finally he decided to check the library. Alas, that is where he found the gorgeous woman; slumped in a plush chair a book upon her chest, sleeping noisily. Standing over her, Cullen kissed her forehead. Her eyes fluttered open with a start.

"Oh, hullo," Evelyn yawned groggily. She looked at the window noticing the lateness of the evening. "Seems I've spent the day away in here. And you said it was going to be a big day."

Yanking her up by her hand, the Commander carried her into his arms down the stairs. "Oh, but my Love, the day is still young!"

"Happy Birthday!" The Tavern filled with people shrieked. They threw flower petals and leaves into the air as if they were confetti. Evelyn stood at the threshold of the door, pressed against Cullen's back in shock and amusement. It seemed that nearly the entirety of Skyhold was jampacked into the cozy little building. Of course, they, being the advisors, wouldn't allow this, should by some incident there be an attack upon the fortress.

"How did you-" Evelyn spun around looking at Cullen in bewilderment. He turned her back around just in time to see her brother's face before he pulled her into a strong hug. Oh! "You remembered my birthday?"

"Of course," Garrett said into her ear. He pulled away quickly, realizing that she may not appreciate this physical affection. The younger sibling looked into his sister's eyes with a mixture of fear and hope, all cockiness from before gone. "I hope you didn't mind me telling Commander Rutherford about it."

Evelyn looked around at everyone that was there. That was there for her. They were all laughing and talking and just happy. She hadn't been thrown a birthday party since she had been disowned, unless you counted the time back in the Circle when Altin had visited her in the infirmary with a stolen cake from the kitchen recently after he had burned her head. Coming back to the present, Evelyn looked back into her brother's eyes and smiled. "Thank you,"

The noble offered her a bashful smile, and with that he steered her through her twenty-fourth birthday party.


	19. Chapter 19

A/N _Hey all! I know I've kinda been off the grid for a few months. I hope to be posting more frequently, but you know how unexpected things can get. This story will be a total of 31 chapters, this being number 19. I will also be writing a short epilogue seperate but that may take a while to come out. Thanks for staying with me for all this time._

* * *

The War Room was bustling the following day. Servants flustered about cleaning this and that. Soldiers were commanded by Commander Cullen as well as spies being ordered by Sister Leliana. All the while Evelyn was writing up key points she should hit on during the the meeting. Over her shoulder, Varric stood watching and making observations.

"Don't bring up mages," Varric commented.

"Varric," Irritably the Inquisitor looked upon him. "Have you failed to notice that _I _am a mage?"

"Okay, saw that coming," He admitted. Had the dwarf had not been a friend of hers, Evelyn may have pushed him away from her personal area. "Don't bring up slaves then."

"That's what this meeting is about!" exclaimed the woman.

Varric grimaced. "Right."

Evelyn continued writing:

Discuss events that occurred at Adamant

Offer as many men as possible without retribution to aid with Slave Abolition

"You're going to remind him of his wife's death?"

Gripped by anguish, Evelyn dropped her quill into the ink carefully and slowly looked at Varric with wide almost puppy like pain of the Champion Hawke's death still ripped her up on the inside. For what felt like a brief moment of time (the past weeks distracting her), her heavy heart had been made lighter. Yet now… "I'm so sorry,"

"If you talk to Fenris about Marian," He did not accept her apology as if he had not heard it, but just continued to express his uneasiness. The dwarf shook his head uncertainly. "I know it will not end well."

"Unfortunately, I'm pretty sure just this meeting will already bring back the memory of her with or without my mentioning of her."

Abruptly, a messenger bombarded into the War Room, freight coating his eyes. "S-sir-"

Varric clasped on Evelyn's shoulder. "He's here,"

* * *

Evelyn stood as soon a fellow cloaked head to toe in black strode through the door menacingly. She resisted the urge to cringe, shrivel, or immediately apologize at the sight of the late Hawke's husband. The room was scarce of life besides the Inquisitor and the elven man, only one guard standing at the door. The man Varric had told her was Fenris removed his hood, revealing sparkling snow hair, and green eyes as lush as an evergreen. But these eyes were not friendly. They shed in their depths pain and animosity.

"Sir Fenris," The Inquisitor simply bowed her head in respect. In any other situation she would have let out her hand for the man to shake, but she had been warned of the powers the elven man possessed. "I am glad you are here,"

He said nothing in return. The scrapping of the chair he pulled out from the war table against the stone seemed, in Evelyn's mind, to produce an eternal reverberation through the room. The mage gulped once, softly as she could manage, yet still it felt like it was as loud as a clap of thunder. She sat down cautiously and picked up her paper scrawled with notes. "First, I would like to offer you any and all aid to your cause in Tevinter and elsewhere that the slave trade occurs."

Fenris did not meet her eyes; he poked at one of the models that was arranged very orderly on the table.

"And I would like to formally apologize for the death-" The elven man suddenly glowed a violent blue of which Evelyn had only seen a lyrium potion produce. She refused to let this falter her determination. "Of Mistress Hawke."

The elf met her eyes then. "Your apology is dust in my mouth, Mage. Marian was corrupted by magic as a child. And magic took her life in the end."

Evelyn did not break eye contact, did not grow angry or sad. She merely listened to the widowed man.

"I will take you up on the offer of soldiers, but there is one thing I ask of you, _Inquisitor_," He sneered her title. "In a few years, I would like for you to explain to my infant daughter why her mother is gone."

The mage felt a pang in her heart, but did not show anything from her appearance that this hurt her. "I would be glad to. Your wife was a hero, in Kirkwall and among my men. Your daughter will aspire to be just like her mother I hope."

Fenris inched closer to Evelyn, sneer spreading into a snarl. "You took her mother away from her."

Evelyn did not feel want to argue with the man, for he had every single right to hate her. The man stood, walked determined to the door, but then paused as the mage spook up. "You are also welcome in the Inquisition and it's fortress, should you ever need a place to stay. I'm sure Varric would love the company."

He left in a flourish.

* * *

Sipping on a stolen bottle of whiskey from the tavern, Evelyn sat on the edge of the stone wall overlooking the mountainside. She heard footsteps walking toward her, stopping for a moment then continuing on. _A guard, _she thought plainly. It wasn't appropriate for the Inquisitor, the leader, to be seen binge drinking. Again. Softer footsteps approached and then a person joined her on the wall. Out of the corner of her eye Evelyn saw it was Leliana.

"Very beautiful, isn't it?" Her voice sounded mystical, more sweet and innocent than the mage had ever heard the woman speak. She nodded dully, to her question that was. "There aren't many picturesque views like this in Ferelden. But, many years ago, there are a few that were quite extraordinary."

Evelyn set the bottle down beside her and listened to the bard. "In Redcliffe, before the Blight, there was this hill with a windmill on it, just seated perfectly, and it overlooked the entire village."

The inquisitor thought hard, trying to remember a windmill in what she knew as Redcliffe. Before she could think hard enough to hurt your head, Leliana continued, "The Brecilian forest is very extraordinary as well. Dangerous and wild. Werewolves,"

"There's no such thing," Evelyn slurred.

"I thought so, too," Leliana did not attempt to argue. Her whimsical state continued as she thought back into the past when she was just a member of a ragtag team supporting Grey Wardens and killing darkspawn. "Denerim is by far my favorite, but the memory of it as it was is always rather fuzzy."

"Why?" Evelyn grabbed the bottle again and turned it over and over in her hands. Lelilana studied this action curiously, and remembered that the Hero of Ferelden did the same as well when he felt sad or ashamed.

"The Final Battle was in Denerim. You probably were just a child back then. I wouldn't have expected you to have heard much about it at the time, with you being Ostwick's Circle." Evelyn shrugged, bottle turning still. "It was awful. Grueling. I only really remember one thing very clearly that day."

There was a chill in the air now; the mage looked into the reminiscing eyes of her advisor. Leliana looked far, far out in the distance, at peaks that were barely visible, at the trees dotting the ravines and valleys, at animals scurrying to one area to the next in preparation for the winter that was to come in recent time. In a clear voice, the bard continued her story. "It was on the highest tower of Fort Drakon, with the Arch Demon nearly slain, and the Hero of Ferelden charging towards the beast. Darkspawn bodies were scattered and some reaching for him with hunger as he ran. A great sword was left on the ground and he reached for it just as the dragon took sight of him. With a great slice, he dragged the sword through its throat and just under to its belly. When the beast fell, but not yet dead, he looked back to me quickly to say goodbye, I think. It was so brief and so quick, maybe I imagined it all. And then he took the final blow."

Evelyn looked out into the landscape and pictured this in her slushed up head. It made her sad. Really sad. A tear rolled silently down her face. She didn't brush it off, didn't even notice it when splattered down on her shirt. "There's a memorial for him in Redcliffe and Denerim. I've never had the courage to visit either of them."

"Why are you telling me this?" Evelyn wailed. Violently, she chucked the bottle of whiskey, still half full, and watched fall down the steep decline, clattering down the stone then hitting a tree before finally laying still.

"I just want you to know that when someone loses their lover in battle, they can barely stand the memory of them let only someone else reminding them." Leliana held the mages hand then. "You mustn't blame yourself for that man's anger and you cannot blame yourself for someone's death in battle. Even Mistress Hawke"

Evelyn pouted still. "I should've been able to save both of them,"

The spymaster sighed. She knew she was referring to the Grey Warden that she had chosen to save as well as Hawke. "You can't save everyone, Lady Inquisitor. Now you've had a long day, I think I will leave you in the hands of Commander Cullen."

Evelyn looked over her shoulder to see Cullen standing a ways away from the two as to not invade their conversation but to certainly hear it. He wore a stony expression which the mage knew was just masking one that of concern. "Thank you, Sister Leliana. I'll take her from here."


	20. Chapter 20

Bells sounded throughout the fortress in warning. Every able bodied man or woman stopped what they were doing to go out into the courtyard to see what was occurring, and possibly be ready to fight. They saw that the commander stood on the barricades, but he did not in the least look prepared for an altercation for whatever lay beyond the castle's walls.

Up in the Commander's quarters, slept the Inquisitor upon his floppy bed. A hole in the roof made it so the sunlight peaked teasingly inside the room, poking at her eyes. At first her brain argued with her body on whether it was worth the innumerable amount of effort to awake herself and jump down the ladder to Cullen's office. But then she heard the calls and shouts of soldiers. _Something and something approaches_. It did not seem a threat, no sound of racing hooves or battle cries. Hair mussed, Evelyn sat up, the covers falling off her chest revealing everything but her small clothes. She struggled to remember what had happened after Cullen carried her off from Leliana.

She brushed her hair back and thought hard. _Did we have sex? _Her clothes weren't strewn about like they would have been if they're been a fluster of lustful actions. No, her clothes were neatly stacked and folded in a chair off in the corner of the loft. Throat dry, Evelyn stood, and put on her day's old clothes quickly. She checked her reflection in the mirror that Cullen kept on a stand near the bed. Her eye makeup was smudged and had stained her cheeks from crying. Yes, she could remember crying on the wall. Evelyn looked around for some source of water but of course there was none. Just her luck. Wetting her hand with her own saliva, the Lady Inquisitor rubbed the stark black makeup off her cheeks as best as she was able to. It wasn't working very well.

"Inquisitor!"

A soldier called from down in Cullen's office. He seemed panicked.

"Yes?" Her throat was dry and hoarse from the crying she had done making her voice sound pathetic compared to the prowess it normally contained.

"You have visitors,"

* * *

"Where is my son!"

The shrieks of a shrill woman could be heard as soon as Evelyn had excited the tower that Cullen had claimed. Racing down the steps with precision, even with her head aching terribly, she made it to the courtyard to see the commotion. She took a large step back, eyes wide. Her throat promptly closed, not allowing her to speak or more very possible screech with fury.

There, just feet before her were Lord and Lady Trevelyan in the flesh. The Inquisitors advisor's made a human wall between the two nobles and their daughter, apprehensive how either party would react to seeing each other. Lord Lawrence Frederick Amadius Trevelyan made brief eye contact with his first born. In his face Evelyn noted three things: his face was stoic not unlike how she recalled from her childhood, his beard and eyebrows had a soft touch of grey in the mix of the auburn, aging him some, and his eyes. His eyes were the legacy of the Trevelyan line. Exuberant green that both Evelyn and Garrett had received when they were babes.

The Inquisitor pushed between Cullen and Josephine. Lady Trevelyan took a step away as if revolted, but her daughter simply bowed to the noble couple. "Lord and Lady, what may the Inquisition assist you with?"

"Evelyn," Her father took a cautious movement towards the mage. His hard exterior seemed to be cracking the longer his eyes laid upon the Inquisitor. "Y-your so big, so grown," His hand grazed one of her arms gently, like a real parent would do. The mage noted in his eyes there were tears welling. It confused the mage, but she reached for his chest with both arms and pulled him into a hug, like a real child would. He started crying freely now. "I'm so sorry, My Daughter,"

"It's… It's alright… Father,"She was unsure of what exactly he spoke of, but held onto him tightly just the same. Evelyn glanced back at her mother. Lady Trevelyan did not feel the same way as her husband it appeared. She wore a face of gracefully chiseled stone, beautiful, but sharp and dangerous as well. Evelyn knew the look meant disapproval and let go of the Lord in fit. He gave her an apologetic look before stepping away from her personal space. "As I stated before, what is it you desire from me?"

"Nothing from you, mage filth," Her mother suddenly said cruelly. Not batting an eye, Evelyn stared back at her mother cooly.

"Gwendolyn!" growled the Lord at his wife. The man's face was beginning to get flushed, swelling with anger. The softness that was there for a moment had receded back deep inside, leaving behind the strong man that was Lord Trevelyan of Ostwick.

Lady Trevelyan ignored her husband and continued to spit at the Inquisitor with harsh words. "We are here and here only for our son. I have only one child and I would like to have him back at home where he belongs as an heir. However, he seems to believe this cult is a righteous cause. Tell me, _Inquisitor, _what sort of magic did you use on his mind to make him think that?"

Watching the scene from a short distance, Cullen clenched his fists, the urge to defend his love being strong. Even in this instance where arguing with nobility would be highly inappropriate, he still thought it necessary. The way she spoke to Evelyn… it was the way he used to talk to mages. He hated the way he had acted in the past and this woman was no better than he was during his time in Kirkwall. Leliana gripped his arm roughly pulling him backwards. He had not noticed his involuntary step forward. Lady Trevelyan looked fiercely at Cullen, spotting the movement. "What? Are you going to defend this whore, Commander?"

_Smack! _Lord Trevelyan had backhanded his wife. Hard. She lay on the ground, quiet. After a half a minute, she started sobbing into the dirt. Everyone that watched on at the scene was shocked except for Evelyn who knew the anger of the man well. The mage swallowed hard, turned to her advisors, and said in a monotone voice, "Find Garrett,"

* * *

"Amuse her," Evelyn said to her brother. They sat in the tavern in front of the hearth. There was an awkwardness to the air that the siblings could feel. Garrett and the Inquisitor sat across from each other not looking at their father who also was seated at the table. The only one missing from the family was Gwendolyn who was at the moment in the infirmary nursing the welt on her face. Lord Trevelyan was sipping on a mug filled with the best whiskey the Inquisition could provide, not taking any care in the well being of his wife.

"I will not," Garrett argued. "I am a grown man, I refuse to appease the woman's wishes any longer."

"Garrett, she misses you just go home, pack the remaining things you left behind, and then have a farewell banquet or something of the sort," Evelyn kneaded at a growing headache in her temples. The thought of home made her stomach churn. She thanked the Maker that she would not be returning with her brother.

Lord Trevelyan smiled. "I am sure that can be arranged. A banquet for our famous girl, or should I say Inquisitor!" He roared into a fit of laughter.

Evelyn blinked. "Who? Me?

* * *

"We could get soldiers,"

"Make allies,"

"Infiltrate some enemies in the Free Marches,"

"Gather Information,"

Evelyn sat in her chair at the war table, a figurine in her hands which she studied calmly. Josephine, Leliana, and Cullen were attempting to convince her of Lord Trevelyan's proposal. Another ball. The thought of seeing all of her family was not pleasing in the least. Recalling her reaction upon seeing Garrett for the first time in years, she did not think that seeing multiple relatives in one night would go smoothly. There was a moment of silence, and she looked up from the table to see them all looking back at her. She made a discomforting noise. "Make the preparations,"

The war room was cold after her presence had exited the room. Cullen studied the map laid out before them, trying to ignore his pressing feelings for the time being.

* * *

The Chant of Light sat heavy on the Inquisitor's lap. She sat in her room just at her desk, lazily reading from the religious text, ignoring the mounting pile of reports about the Inquisitions too soon travel to the Free Marches. The door opened and footsteps climbed up the stairs at a steady pace, but Evelyn did not look up from her book.

"Inquisitor,"

It was Cullen. Evelyn turned the page.

He held no reports in hand, nor did he wear his usual armor. This meeting was strictly personal.

"So you have met my parents," Evelyn said.

Cullen swallowed nervously. Where would this conversation go? "That I have,"

Evelyn looked up through her lashes up at him. She didn't no what else to say or how to say it for that matter. Her father was abusive, yet so was her mother. The hitting, the yelling, and the hurt all were gathered in a place dark and deep inside Evelyn. The little girl that she had been seemed so far away that the memories of getting beat must have been forgotten or rather chosen to be forgotten. Evelyn, now a woman, remembered the blurry wrongdoings that had been done to her, but then everyone was abused as a child, right? The mage shook her head to herself, willing the rememberings to leave her.

Cullen came around to her side. He brushed a strand of her hair out of her face, soothing her. "You're not like them,"

Evelyn caressed his cheek lovingly, and then laughed softly to herself. "Wait till you meet the rest of the Trevelyan clan,"

* * *

_Sorry if this Chapter was a little choppy! Thanks for reading! More coming soon. _


	21. Chapter 21

"Is that her?"

"Can't be!"

"Don't stare at her, her magic is dangerously corruptive!"

"Look at her hair! The vulgarity of the woman!"

"I hope that mark on her hand kills her,"

The soft whispers and the not so soft whispers was what Evelyn heard all night at her homecoming ball. She answered each with a steely glare. Garrett attempted to stay by her side for the entirety of the night, but, being the non-disowned child, was whisked away every other minute by this relative or that relative who looked disdainfully at his sister. In no mood to make friends with the snakes that encompassed the room, the mage stood off by herself making mental notes in her head.

Cullen had been away with some woman from Kirkwall that he knew back when he was templar. 'No time for introductions' she had declared, in shining gold armor that clashed with her vermillion red hair and brash freckles. Evelyn may have been worried if not for the wedding band she wore around her neck on a chain.

As for Leliana and Josephine, the two had been flitting around the room talking to spies in the area as well as diplomats, commenting on their attire and such. And frankly, the mage had no interest in such gossip. So, here she was, a stranger in her former home.

A second cousin passed by, shooting a wrathful look at Evelyn. In response she considered sticking her tongue out but thought it better to simply pretend she did not see.

"The looks the Trevelyans possess," an amused whisper said behind her. The mage turned slowly, unaware if the voice be friend or foe. Dorian stood leaning against the doorway overlooking the entirety of the ball room. "Can kill."

Evelyn smiled wryly at her companion and raised a thin eyebrow. "Now you see where I get it from." She turned back to lean over the bannister, a wine flute in gloved hand. Watching cousins, aunts, great uncles, and allies commerce in dance was painfully dull in her opinion. In the hours that she had been there she had taken to admiring the split end of the soft curls that framed her face. The rest of her hair was piled on top of her head in a bun, sticking there with some sort of gel that Leliana had applied.

Dorian came to stand hubristically beside her. He too had changed from his swanky Mage armor to the regal outfit Josephine had forced him into: a black and gold uniform detailed with a small Inquisition pendant like medal over the left breast. All and any of the Inquisition's members wore some variation of the original design. That was except for the Inquisitor herself.

She wore a slimming black gown as dark as night; it shimmered as she walked, emitting power and electric energy from her curvaceous body. The iridescent cap sleeves added a touch of innocence to the look which turned out well with how look the neckline happened to be. When Josephine had shown Evelyn the design, she had simply nodded and gone back to work. But now she loved how the luscious silk clung to her frame. Rather than the golden necklace that Cullen had given her the night of the ball at the Empress's Winter Palace, Evelyn wore a thick silver chain with a charm of the inquisition on it, hanging just above her cleavage. She had taken a notice that because of the shape of the insignia, it drove the eye of men (and some women for that matter) straight to her breasts. Every time the mage felt the ogling of those around her she had the urge to cuss at everyone and storm out of the ballroom. So far she had retained that desire though.

"It has been a long night, My Friend."

Dorian came to her side and gave her a brief half hug.

"Do you know that the Pavus' and the Trevelyan's are related?" The Tevinter claimed.

"Oh?" Evelyn rose an eyebrow at him once more, raising the pristine glass to her lips and slurping on the watered down wine.

The man fingered his mustache playfully. "Distantly I'm sure, but yes, as far as my records say."

"So are you going to call me a maleficar and spray me with Andraste's holy tears like the rest of my family?" Evelyn teased finishing off the drink at the weighty reality of what she had said.

"Oh, perish the thought," He leaned in close to her ear. "Besides that kind of kinky roleplay is Cullen's job,"

Elsewhere in the ballroom, Cassandra stood watching the festivities mere feet from the dance floor. Under the hazy candlelight, her silver cloak twinkled. So did the longsword she had insisted at keeping at her side. Now that she was there she was very glad that she had insisted on bringing to the grand celebration. This is was not Orlais, the Inquisition was not in the thick of the game, but assassins were sure to lurk somewhere, even in Evelyn's old home.

A disgusted look was stuck on the woman's face; she hated the selfish, greedy nobles, finding herself overwhelmingly pleased that she was never to be classified as one anymore. Thank the Maker that she had joined the Seekers. Can you imagine what she may have turned into?

There was a sudden tap on her shoulder just as the bard and her minstrels started up a new tune. It was Garrett Trevelyan and his hand was held out to her.

"May I have this dance, Seeker," He addressed her not in the way most men would, but in the way that she would prefer to be addressed. Seeker. Not my Lady, nor Lady Pentaghast. This perplexed Cassandra, yet she took his hand.

* * *

Still blushing from Dorian's comment, Evelyn swooshed down the grand staircase to the dance floor in search of her brother or, well, anybody to ease her embarrassment. She thought it incredibly ironic that this would be the time during the night to become bashful, but not when people called her a tart or an abomination. An elven servant offered her a flute of honey wine and she took it gratefully, offering a nod of thanks. The elf bowed then flitted away to the next thirsty looking party goer.

"Need some company?" Evelyn turned too fast, sloshing wine onto the freshly polished floor. It was Varric and he seemed to be a mix of amused and distracted.

"I, uh, I'm looking for-" She was cut off by an obnoxious shout.

"Oi, Ev, you're family is full of prats," Somewhere in the room Josephine must have been cringing.

Evelyn whipped her head around, but too late. Sera had already snatched her wine flute out of her hand and slammed it down in one gulp. After Cole had poofed himself into the womens lavatory, Evelyn had stopped worrying herself over these little things that her comrades had been doing all night. The elf had rolled up her sleeves on her formal uniform and had done away with her gloves, shoving them in her back pocket. The laces to her knee high boots were removed and the tongue of the shoes were sagging down to her ankles.

"How are you not tripping on those?" Evelyn motioned to her shoes. Sera shrugged and replied, "How are you breasts not falling out of your dress?"

"Sod off," Evelyn muttered. She picked up the hem of her dress with one hand and grabbed Varric's hand with the other.

"Uh, My Lady Inquisitor, pardon me, but how the shit are you going to dance with a dwarf? I'm half your goddamn height." protested Varric as she pulled him onto the floor making her way past others dancing.  
"Just smile and put one hand as high on my body as possible, without touching my ass mind you, and the other on my forearm," whispered Evelyn as they got to the middle. Varric did as he was told, and, seeing that Evelyn gotten up to dance, the minstrels picked an upbeat song to play. Despite the obvious height difference, the mage found that Varric was particularly fancy on his feet.

"Where did you learn how to dance?" Evelyn said right before he twirled her around, the black dress fanning out and swaying around her legs, showing off her silvery high shoes that Leliana had forced her into.

"Hawke had to go a few noble parties back when she killed the Arishok. Made me come with her most of the time." Varric replied distracted. "Andraste's flaming ass!"

"What?!" Evelyn whispered urgently, but calmly looked over each shoulder.

"Is Cassandra, no-" The dwarf turned the two of them in a one-eighty so he could see better without having to strain his neck. That was almost impossible with all of the other dancers. "Why the hell are all you Trevelyan's so tall?"

"We're humans, Varric," Evelyn responded as the song finished. There was an array of applause, mostly for the Inquisitor and her partner. Evelyn smiled pleasantly at the crowd of relatives and allied families. She looked around the dance area, trying to spot Cassandra, but failed before she was ushered into the arms of another man.

"Okay if I cut in, Boss?" The bard sang a slow waltz tune and the Iron Bull pulled her tight to him. He leaned down as low as he could without hitting her with his horn and murmured, "Help me out here, alright?"

Evelyn laughed lightly while they danced slowly. For the most part the Qunari was trying not to step on the hem of her dress, obviously looking down at his feet. The mage looked around once more at the dancers to see the Nevaran but once more was cut short of finding her. The looks on her relatives faces were priceless. First dancing with a dwarf then a Qunari, oh how she loved to see their astonished looks.

The clock tower chimes sounded throughout the palace signally midnight. Dorian stepped in place of Evelyn as she made her way to the side of the dance floor. Her feet ached and the armholes of her dress were starting to rub her underarms raw.

She took her time making her way to the announcer stationed by the main entrance of the ballroom, painful blisters threatening to burst on her feet. A soft word to the man declared her departure of the night. She waited until he yelled out to the crowds and the clapping ended before exiting the hall. In a quick moment after the massive door shut behind her, the dramatic shoes were off and she was walking her way to the guest quarters, wondering mischievously when Cullen would make it back to their room. Dorian had unlocked a desire deep within her that night, and dancing distractions would not satisfy her.

* * *

_Later_

Garrett dropped off Cassandra at the door to her room.

"I thank you for allowing my company, Seeker," the man said in an utmost polite tone, even at the late hour of night he stood tall and proud. The warrior surmised that it was the years of practice beaten into him to act such a way, but the way his eyes smiled suggested much more than pleasantries.

"Please, I believe you can call me Cassandra by now, Lord Trevelyan"

"I expect you to do the same for me than, Seek- ah, My Lady Cassandra," This time it was not a bother to be addressed as such, nor did she mind that when he bid her goodnight that he gently raised her hand to his lips, leaving the faintest feeling of a kiss.


	22. Chapter 22

"Serah," A guard said to the Commander as he passed, straightening up. It had been years since he had been addressed as such, memories of Kirkwall not so distant now that he was mere hours ride from the City of Chains.

"As you were," Cullen muttered, the tire in his voice ever present. The corridor to his room was illy lit due to the late hour and the windows that would have let the moonlight inside the mansion were drawn tightly to a close. It was late, so late in fact he reckoned that servants would be getting up soon to prepare breakfast. Passing rooms that emitted noises from snoring to pleasurable moans, the Commander finally reached his guest quarters.

He was utterly shocked at what he saw, thinking that he must possibly be dreaming.

On the bed (somewhat smaller than the one that the Inquisitor had in her room at Skyhold, but not by much) lay a snoring Evelyn on her stomach, hair falling over her face. The man would have found this quite amusing if not for the fact that she was in nothing but her skivvies. A pull on his dress breeches signalled the effect of her displayed body. "Maker,"

In the minute he had taken to walk in past the fireplace to see her laying there, hips and breasts accented with the delicate, too-small smallclothes against her tan skin, Cullen found that he was not tired anymore.

The mage's eyes fluttered open as he picked her up only to set her down under the lush covers. She lifted her head to see what was happening but almost immediately sleep took her again. For a moment she resisted against the smooth talker that was sleep. But her feet _did _ache and her head was being persuaded. So, just as she had lifted it, Evelyn's head fell, hitting an over fluffed pillow. Cullen had retired to their attached washroom, attempting to do anything to calm his raging hardness.

Going for the obvious, he splashed water on his face. Nothing.

Cullen turned on the faucet of the bathtub (the Trevelyan's were even more wealthy than he had first thought), but the water came out hot, bubblies dotted the tub. This only reminded him of the time months ago when he had walked in on Evelyn just stepping out of the bath, suds slipping down her curves. The curves that were lying out there on the bed, just waiting for him to ravish them. If anything the bath just made it his raging erection the more harder. Would he ever be able to bathe without thinking of that incident?

After the bath, leaving him feeling fresh but not flacid, he decided to shave off the scruff on his neck and face. This was killing two birds with one stone, one, because Evelyn was recently complaining about the hairs tickling her shoulder when they slept, and, two, the routine was a surefire way to calm himself. He probed the skin with the fresh foamy cream in a dish on the stone countertops. He glowered at himself in the mirror examining his jaw for missed spots. The bags under his eyes gave him a wild look just as the deep scar over his lips did. Nimbly, the commander ran the tip of his tongue over his lips, lingering on the indent that the scar had left. _Just go to bed_, he thought to himself. But what if she wanted to…? _Tell her no_? But how could he do that to her? All he ever desired was to give her all of hers. "Maker, help me,"

The Commander waited another half hour in the washroom, in that time he had officially sedated his sexual desire for his woman, physically and mentally. Sleep bit him like a snake just then as it had done to Evelyn. Leaving the haven of the bathroom, Cullen thought about sleeping on the sofa placed in front of the heart, coals still blazing, illuminating the room, but then Evelyn raised herself to a sitting position, her hair sticking up in the back. The man let out a giggle at the sight of this and she smiled languidly and patted the bed beside her, laying back down with a satisfied huff.

He joined her, altogether content.

* * *

"How did your escapade go last night, Darling?" Dorian said at afternoon's meal the next day. Evelyn and Cullen had slept in well past what was acceptable. The guards outside of their room undoubtedly were afraid to wake them, or intrude on whatever it was they thought the couple was doing. TIme after time they denied entrance to the room from the elven maids, claiming that they still had not risen. However, a rumor flitted among the staff, sooner or later it would reach the ears of his grace, Evelyn speculated. Oh, well.

"Nothing happened," She said into her plate, scraping her fork along the metal.

"What?" the Tevinter yelped. A few servants were startled but at the sight of the Inquisitor their fear turned to glee. The nobleman's daughter lowered her head all the much lower in shame. Dorian growled at the elven women, "Go away,"

A purple glow illuminated Dorian's body and many of the girls shrieked and ran out of the room, the others, elderly women, merely returned to work.

"There's no need to be rude," Evelyn said shakily. Her fellow mage softened and the magic dissipated.

"You're an adult, there is no need to have such gossip," Dorian huffed.

"That very well may be true, my friend, but when the news-"

"Rumor," Dorian interjected.

"-reaches my father I will be totally fucked." _Unlike last night. _

Dorian reached for her hand, squeezing it gently. "Don't let what anybody says or does to you change who you are,"

He left abruptly, in search for the Iron Bull he claimed.

* * *

"Commander Rutherford," Lawrence Trevelyan greeted Cullen respectfully, but lingering underneath that was a cold and calculating man. He could see it in the emerald eyes of the aging Lord. He never thought he would see her eyes and be terrified such as this. The Commander inclined his head to the man, maintaining eye contact. _Show no fear._ "We have some negotiating to get along with, yes?"

"Very right, Sir. Lady Montilyet is on her way, I believe, from speaking with the lady of the house." Cullen flinched as the Lord made a move past him to look out into the courtyard. From there he could see Lady Trevelyan captivating her guests of the Inquisition. She was smiling brightly and laughing at what this or that noble said. Cullen had never seen her look so pleasant in the brief time the Inquisition had been at Ostwick. Among the festivities was Josephine, making notes on her board as she spoke.

The sun was beaming down hot today, steaming the war room of the mansion. Not being well acquainted with heat, having lived at Skyhold for nearly a year's time, Cullen shed his sweat coated pauldrons and placed them around one of the chairs at the war table, attempting to cool himself despite the heavy armor. _Hurry up, Josephine, hurry up. _

"Did you enjoy the festivities of the night previous, Commander?"

"The Ball was very pleasant." Cullen said curtly.

"What a shame it was not to see you on the dancefloor," Lawrence remembered boredly, picking at the nonpresent dirt under his fingernails.

"I am more of a socialite than a dancer, Sir," Where was he going with this?

"Yes, yes, I am aware." Lord Trevelyan rounded the table, standing directly across from the former templar. "You and my daughter are…"

"We are currently in a relationship, Sir," Cullen gulped, preparing for the worst, but the Lord nodded and thought silently to himself. When he returned his gaze back to the Commander his eyes were sad.

"She was supposed to have an arranged marriage with a one of the sons of the Rotnik family, they're a noble family with a great hand in the Templar Order though I suppose that does not mean much now. But I'm sure you can imagine the alliance between our families, yes? We serve the Chantry on achy knees. It would have been very beneficial. Evelyn would have lived the life of nobility for the rest of her life. Have a child or two. The heir and the spare, right?" The man welled with anguish. "I was going to be there for her, in her life. Perhaps it is better this way." The Lord slumped down in a chair and studied the panes of the window.

"I do not mean to presume, but from what Evelyn has told me, you rarely took notice of her, rather her brother," Lawrence did not move. "She has said that it was her mother that always took care of her,"

"She was not wrong," The Noble whispered.

"Then why-" Just then Josephine was let in by the guards standing in the hall, bundles upon bundles of papers in her arms as per usual. Lord Trevelyan straightened himself, gaining instant composure and an agreeable smile.

"So very sorry to keep you waiting, my Lord Trevelyan! Lady Gwendolyn was very keen on entertaining." Josephine gave Cullen a seething look then at the chair before returning to her inordinately polite self. The Commander pulled out the chair and waited for her to get situated before pushing it in slightly. "Why, thank you! Now onto business!"


	23. Chapter 23

"Ugh,"

"Amazing! Only two seconds into getting dressed and you're already disgusted. I would declare that to be a personal record," Evelyn exclaimed gleeful. The estate was not her favorite place to be, no, not at all thank you very much, but having her friends with her certainly did boost her mood. Not to mention seeing Cassandra with her hair down and trying on dresses.

"I just want to wear trousers!" cried the Nevaran warrior.

"Tsk, tsk," Evelyn was going through the closet full of dresses at their disposal in the shared room of her and Commander Cullen. Currently he was at a war meeting with Josephine and her father. Boring. A small dinner party was being put together for that evening and whilst she would be accompanied by her man, Garrett chose to bring 'Seeker Pentaghast'. Why he had addressed her as such, Evelyn was unsure but to have Cassandra with her to pick out an outfit was a relief even if she had no interest in the matter.

They perused the gowns that hung on racks upon racks in the closet. Cassandra held herself around the torso as they walked stopping here and there, not really paying any attention to detail.

"Don't worry, I'm picking some for you, too."

"No corsets." her friend commented sternly. Evelyn laughed. After a handful of dresses were selected, the women returned to the bathing room and started to try them on, throwing out anything too… Orleasian.

"Oooo, Cass, this one will be perfect for you!" Cassandra was snugging herself into a frilly pink monstrosity when Evelyn appeared in front of her with a dress that was light and flowing but made of a dark material, almost like liquid steel. It was a classic Free Marcher style of dress that fell all the way to the ground in a column with sleeves that capped at the wrists.

"It's…" There were no words. Evelyn smiled knowingly.

Blush popped onto Cassandra's high cheek bones as her friend admired that girlish look in her eyes. With a hint of shyness, she nodded and took the dress into her hands. "Will you...?"

"Come out of that thing and I'll help you into this." Evelyn picked at one of the frills as she spoke. "But before we get you all dolled up, let's do something about your hair."

"I feel over dressed," Cullen grumbled standing in the sitting area of his sleeping quarters. He and Garrett were waiting for their guests to finish dressing for their intimate dinner. Unfortunately, Evelyn pleaded that he wear, again, the Inquisition regal uniform, yet now he had adorned his left breast with medals of achievement and honor. No doubt this was a stab at her mother to show how well she had done for herself, finding a capable man and all. Cullen was slightly irked at the thought of being shown off, then again it was to prove that he was hers, not of his militant status.

Unlike the day previous, this dinner party would be with a select few of the Trevelyan's private family and their special guests. It was Evelyn and Garrett's father's way of bettering the situation.

The Inquisitor's brother was staring nonchalantly around her room, remarking that their mother had changed the drapes twice since last years time for no apparent reason other than to sate what appeared to be her own material desires. He thought absentmindedly that if a demon were to offer her a closet filled with all the newest in Orleasian fashion how totally doomed the woman would be.

_Creeeaak. _The door to the bathing room peaked open a crack. There was a whisper and then a calm voice saying, "Come on, you look lovely. Let's go."

Garrett perked up from the air chair as did Cullen who had just finally settled into one of the loungers. With tilted chins and proud eyes, the ladies stepped out from the bathing room. The two gentlemen uttered whispers of awe at the sight.

Clothed in a deep red Free Marches dress, the Inquisitor led her friend into the living room. A pace behind, Cassandra wore the gown that was steel, but that wasn't the most striking thing about her tonight. Though she cared about her makeup now and again, the warrior refused to let her hair down (both literally and metaphorically speaking that is). Presently the Nevarran had the length that she kept braided slicked back along with her bangs. Along with her dress and her hair, the dark liner around her eyes made her look all the more majestic. Garrett thought of a raven. A raven that he would cherish to have.

"Hello, Darling," Evelyn whirled up to her man and laid a gentle kiss on his cheek, careful to avoid smudging the matte finish that coated her full lips. Through all the glamour she was still the girl who loved the broken man that he was.

"You look astonishing, My Dear."

The mage smiled revealing her white teeth. As she straightening his medals she spoke, "Not so bad yourself."

As the couple chatted, Lord Garrett Trevelyan sauntered carefully toward his companion for the night. He bowed graciously then offered his hand, head still to the ground. "My Lady,"

For a brief moment Cassandra felt the young noble girl in her reach out but who she really was took control of her hand and gently lifted the chin of the man. "I told you to call me Cassandra."

Garrett's grin was brighter than the sun.

Evelyn smiled wryly not even the hint guilt burdening her at eavesdropping. "Everyone looks sharp so let's get the torture done and over with, yes?"

* * *

The two non-Trevelyan guests found that the Inquisitor had not been humorous. The dinner conversation was awkward at best.

"Ferelden you say, Commander?" Lady Trevelyan asked slurping delicately at the potatoe soup.

"Yes, My Lady." At the confirmation, Evelyn's mother twisted her mouth like she had smelled the stench of a dirty, wet mabari. "And you came from…?"

"Oh, well I am originally from Orlais but my father usurped our family from the merchant's life for he inherited his cousin's household here in the Free Marches. To think what a little drop of poison could do!" After saying this the shrewd woman drank merrily from her goblet of red wine.

Cullen gulped while Evelyn resisted rolling her eyes. Yet the lady's husband laughed heartily, tears coming to his eyes. The siblings gave each other a look. It was not the first time they had heard the story of how her mother had come to nobility. They did not dare to hope it would be the last.

"Lady Pentaghast you are of noble birth," It was a crude statement; it made the warrior drop her spoon with a splash. Servants flittered through the room clearing plates as quietly as possible as the noble spoke. "Nevarran. How intriguing!"

Underneath the table Garrett nudged his foot against Cassandra's in encouragement. This was not a topic that should be discussed over dinner. Not with Garrett and Evelyn's parents. And to have the Commander there as well would just add to the woman's shame. So she pretended that Lady Gwendolyn meant to be speaking of something else. "Yes, I would think it to be a fair bit dissimilar to life here."

A slab of mutton was placed in front of each patron accompanied by fresh roasted vegetables.

"So I've heard." Lady Trevelyan commented displeased with the Seeker's answer. She took dainty bites of meat.

"My Lord," Evelyn spoke briskly to change conversation. Her father's ears perked at his title.

"Come now, Daughter of Mine. There is no need for such formalities," He smiled warmly in contrast to the daggers that Lady Gwendolyn shot at the Inquisitor.

Cullen gave a slight nod in reassurance.

"Father," The word felt so strange, but she continued anyway. "The Inquisition-"

"Enough talk about your Inquisition, Lady Evelyn," Gwendolyn sat back in chair, slouching a bit. The two women stared disapprovingly at each other for what seemed hours before the lady of the house spoke again, yet this time turning towards Cassandra. "Tell me, Right hand of the late Divine Justinia, is this merry band of fanatics truly what her grace would want her legacy to be?"

Evelyn and her friend unanimously stood in rage. Cassandra was startled to see that the Inquisitor was reacting so strongly to the comment. The Nevarran bit her tongue as she waited for the other to speak.

"Goodnight, Lady Gwendolyn," Evelyn bowed sarcastically to the lady of the house, then turned to her father and said brusquely, "My Lord,"

Cassandra bowed the same and followed her friend out of the dining hall. Silently, Cullen too rose after placing his napkin on his plate , tailing after the women. Setting down his fork and knife Garrett looked on to his mother with disdain. She shrugged, continuing to eat undisturbed. "Nice etiquette, Mother."

He left.

* * *

_AN: Hello, hello! I am not dead, thanks for asking! I've had a rough go the last few months which is as to why I have not been keeping up with my postings. Now that I am on a better path, I will have chapters up to date more frequently. Hopefully, every two to three weeks. _

_I adore you all, _

_Emerald Warden_


	24. Chapter 24

The following day the advisors met in a parlor with the Inquisitor to discuss their plan of action with the Trevelyan House.

"She will not submit to mages," Evelyn growled across the table at the uncompromising Embassador.

Josephine pursed her plump lips, admittedly frustrated. "We can work out some sort of arrangement."

"No! We can't!" Evelyn thundered, a hand smacking the table separating her Josephine. The stewart at the door appeared alarmed at the raised voice but did not move. Still, the Inquisitor checked her emotions. "She will not abide to the Inquisition nor it's Inquisitor which means we traveled leagues from our keep while Corypheus is yet at large, just to have her deny us of any military or political support."

"She does not preside over this house," Leliana interjected.

"Might as well," Cullen muttered, pressing his palms into his eyes clearly frustrated. "Lawrence does nothing but appease his wife."

A scoff erupted from the mage's mouth. The advisors regarded her in shock. She sat back in her chair and, as per usual, rolled her eyes. "Their marriage is not so perfect."

Leliana motioned for her to advance with what she meant, the other two's interest energizing.

"The Trevelyan house is famous for it's alliance with the Chantry as well as the templars it trains, yet they are known in the Free Marches as a corrupt house: abuse and mysterious deaths of servants, rape. Might as well be from Tevinter my mother.." Josephine gasped, placing a hand over her mouth in shock, Leliana looked down at the table, and Cullen's mouth hung open stupidly. The stewart clenched his jaw pretending not to hear. Threateningly, Evelyn raised an eyebrow at him before she went on. "It's not uncommon in times such as these, but as you can imagine it has been going on for generations. My father watched and learned from his and he from his father and so on and so forth. That isn't to say my mother wasn't raised just the same." Evelyn paused remembering. Then, "Whatever you choose to do with this information is up to you, but I expect to leave within a fortnight, no more than that."

* * *

The remainder of the day Evelyn spoke to her companions and some of the captains to prepare for their leave. With or without her advisor's permission she would get out of this hell. She skipped the afternoon meal in the lunch hall and instead had a servant bring her a plate of fruit and cheese as well as large glass of wine.

"Leave the bottle," Evelyn said sweetly to the red head girl. The elf bowed and went to leave. "Wait,"

She halted at the word. A strong memory lodged itself from the barrier that Evelyn had built around this place.

"Tell me," The mage circled the room until she arrived to the young woman. "How do you like it here?"

Ostwick Manor was a brilliant place to live, she knew that, but from the looks of this woman, shallow faced and dark circles under her eyes, she was not having an excellent time. "I live to serve the Trevelyan line, My Lady Inquisitor."

Evelyn rounded the girl taking in her too big of clothes, dirty shoes, and broken nails. "Yes... What is your name?"

The red headed elf gulped. "Tamara, My Lady."

"Thank you," Evelyn gazed sincerely into her large eyes. The elf practically ran out of the room and nearly smacked into the Commander down the hall. Cullen expected to see a fear in her eyes like most of the other servants he had encountered but the red head seemed… giddy. She apologized profusely but fiercely skirted away from him. He entered the guest chambers.

Evelyn sat on the futon in one of her lover's night shirts and a pair of loose fitting trousers pouring herself over a book she had gotten from the library. Emerald eyes wandered upwards from the book to the Commander. "Hello, Darling."

Cullen went behind the back of the futon and placed a kiss atop of her head. "Hello. How are you?"

The mage shrugged returning to her book. After the long morning meeting, Cullen took his time changing into something more comfortable for sitting around the bedroom. Finished, he sat on the couch across from the Inquisitor. He studied her fondly until he recalled what she had said.

"My dear, can I ask you something?"

She closed the book willingly and nodded. "Of course."

"You said that the Trevelyan's are known for servant abuse," He paused waiting for her confirmation. When she did not nod, but instead looked away from his eyes, he went on to say, "But it's more than that, isn't it?"

She did not speak right away. No, she looked in her wine glass, drank from it, set it down, played with the fringing cover of the book, anything but to look him in the eyes and admit why she hated it here so much.

"Evelyn," Cullen stood up from the couch and moved to her, sitting beside her. Her eyes lingered on the fading image on the cover before he removed it from her clutch.

She cleared her throat. "Well, I suppose we have time before dinner."

* * *

On the arrival of Evelyn's birth, and her not being a son, Lord Trevelyan was outraged. He had beat his wife after she had gotten off of bedrest, putting her almost directly back to that position. Obviously he blamed her, how could anything be his fault? Evelyn never knew the touch of her mother or father while she was a baby, for the Lord was disgusted at a girl being his first born and the Lady was too weak to take care for her. As a babe she was cared for by a elven servant until her younger brother was born. And even then her mother was more of a tutor than a caregiver. The elven servant was Hedas with flaming bushels of long curls.

After the birth of her brother, when Evelyn was two, Hedas became the new lady-in-waiting to Lady Gwendolyn. No one spoke of what happened to the previous lady-in-waiting, but everyone knew. Lord Lawrence had gotten her pregnant (his boredom of his pregnant wife was too much for him to bear) and once the lady of the house found out, she had exiled the servant and her illegitimate fetus from Ostwick. Evelyn never found out what became of them, no matter how much she searched. She relinquished her hopes when she was at the Circle, for there was no chance of finding out anything beyond the cold stone that imprisoned her.

Although her brother was raised as a warrior, and she a lady, Evelyn desired to be out in the sparring ring. To be strong and to stand up against anything with great power… that's all she wanted. At the time anyway. She would watch from her window while her mother and Hedas lectured about history and poise. The strength of the templars was very inspiring, counteracting magic with magic. Or that's what she understood it as. When she had suggested it to her mother, that was the first time she had gotten hit. Directly across the face, a bruise forming in seconds. Lady Gwendolyn had left the room extremely distraught, leaving Hedas to take care of the child.

"I do not understand," cried the little girl into her caretakers shoulder.

Hedas said calmly, "You must learn to be quiet, little one."

Evelyn looked at her with watery eyes. "But why?"

"It is how we stay alive,"

* * *

"Evelyn," Cullen tilted her head to face his but she would not look him in the eye.

"No, you can't interrupt me if you want to hear this.I-I mean," Evelyn let out a shaky breath. "I think you need to hear this,"

Cullen sealed his lips and waited for her to keep speaking.

* * *

The second time that Evelyn had been struck by her mother was when she had made a flower grow in the plantar outside her window during another lesson. The petals of the daisy had curled up on itself, dying slowly. _Grow, You Stupid Thing. _The white petals brightened and grew to twice their length at the same time her head began to ache. Lady Gwendolyn's eyes popped out of her head. She was across the room in a flash and gripping her daughter's wrist so hard until it cracked. Hedas covered ears when Evelyn shrieked.

"What have you done?!"

"I didn't do anything, Mama!" cried the girl. The lady threw the girl to the ground in her fury.

"Take her to the healers and tell them she fell," Gwendolyn ordered the servant. She stopped just before the door and said to Hedas. "Mention this to anyone, and I will see to your death personally."

"Hush up, girl!" Hedas ordered once her mother left.

The nurses did not question how she had gotten hurt as they wrapped a splint to her arm. The throbbing of her wrist took away the pain that had entered her head prior to her mother grabbing her. Whatever she had done, Evelyn understood that she was not supposed to be doing it ever again. Yet she was curious. A week or so after her wrist had healed, Evelyn wanted to try it again.

A young recruit slipped into the stables one day to get away from the hazing of his superiors. Evelyn was in the rafters focusing on the dried straw and trying to feel the tug in her head that had made the flower grow. _Fire_. A single piece of straw in her hand ignited and burned till it was ash. She blew on the grey powder and thought _now fly_. The dust formed together making wings and antenna. The ash butterfly fluttered once, twice, up to the ceiling, then disintegrated. A tiredness crept in her head, but she tried to rub the sleep out of her eyes. The recruit heard movement.

"Who is in here?"

Evelyn peared down from the rafters just in a way so she could see the young man but not so he could see her. A templar! The exhaustion inside of the noble girl was replaced with fear. Did he see the fire? The ash? Her distress grew and the tug in her chest turned to a hard pull. She bit her tongue, blood spurting from it, so she wouldn't cry out, wouldn't draw any more attention. The irony smell of blood filled her nose then smoke. The recruit ran from the barn.

"Fire!"

Evelyn looked around the rafters. At the corner closest to her a large flame had taken shape. The little girl screamed and ran to the the only window in the attic. There was no other choice. She jumped. It wasn't a great jump that of the likes she would have to encounter later in life, but for a girl of nine years it might as well have been from the face of a cliff. She landed on her knees amongst dust, rolling until she was carried off by hands. The neighing of the family's horses were sirens in her ears as they were trapped in the stable.

"My Lady! Are you alright?" Whoever had her in their arms could not console her. She was afraid beyond belief, but more at what she was able to do. The horses…

The young recruit had seen the daughter of the nobles jump out of the barn window from afar and upon examination there was nothing that would've started the fire. Except magic. From that day on he kept a close eye on the Trevelyan's sole daughter. When he saw her, a week or so later, trying to control the flames that were dancing on the tips of her fingers, he brought his discovery to the Captain. Captain Bardon made the extravagant conjecture that the Lady of the House was hiding her daughter's abilities or perhaps even trying to keep them from getting stronger. No mage should be born into a family of templars, no that would be utterly devastating.

The Templars waited until a night when Lord and Lady Trevelyan were out attending a New Year's feast near Kirkwall. Usually the parents would've had their children accompany them, but Garrett had thrown a tantrum about what he was to wear, so they were left at the estate. They came when Evelyn was asleep, tucked in her bed by the only mother she had truly known. Hedas watched over her from the corner, practicing her needlework in the candle light.

Evelyn didn't remember much from that night, except how the Templars kept Hedas back, despite her cries of outrage.

* * *

"When my… parents returned they demanded that it be kept quiet but when it finally did slip by some of the recruits while off duty, my father had me officially disowned." Evelyn nodded as she finished her tale.

Cullen had sat back on the sofa as he listened, picturing it all clearly in his head.

"My Love, I think it's just about time for dinner," Evelyn tried to stand up but the Commander held her wrist in his hand. Was that the wrist that her mother had broken all those years ago? With his chocolate eyes filled with extreme sorrow for his lovely woman, he kissed the thin joint gently. She looked at him quizzically.

"What's one meal missed?" he murmured into her skin.

In a rush she was pushing Cullen on top of their large bed, her lips pressed urgently against his, hungry. The wine on her lips was dry and bitter, just how she liked it; Cullen was growing to enjoy the taste. On top of him, Evelyn writhed her hips against his groin which was hardening steadily. The warm throbbing against each other's trousers was just increasing their desire further. With brisk hands, the Commanders shirt was off leaving a toned chest and abdomen. Evelyn ran her nails down his smooth, pale skin, fingering the curly hair that was just under his navel. Peeling her lips away from his for moment she admired the view, a wry smile on her swollen lips. Cullen's eyes were clouded with lust, taking in Evelyn's predatory gaze and disheveled hair. Devastatingly slow he thrusted his hips upward. Evelyn let out a guttural moan and started to unbutton her own shirt. Once it was off of her, Cullen rolled on top of her, pinning her wrists above her head with a single hand and stroking her bare side with the other.

"You're gorgeous," he murmured into her neck, suckling her tan skin. She tried to wittily reply but then he had started to slide down her trousers. Despite how much her craving at her warmth she pushed his hands away from her warmth.

"Cullen wait," Alarmed he stopped and looked anxiously into Evelyn's face. "I can't,"

"I-I'm sorry, I just thought-"

Evelyn opened her eyes slowly. "No, it's not that I don't want to. I just... " She waited for the correct words to come to her but they refused to arrive. She rolled out from under Cullen onto the other side of the bed hiding her face in the Orleasian sheets, rather embarrassed.

"Evelyn?"

"I don't want it to be here," she whimpered. Cullen blinked rapidly. The moment had gone drastically in a different direction. He wrapped his arms around her bare chest and started to rock her as tears rushed out of her.

"I understand, Evy,"

It took her some deal of time to stop crying and, after that, hiccuping. Her love aided her in getting ready for an early bed then tucked her in as he went into the bathing room to relieve himself. There was a knock on the door. Cautiously, Evelyn went to answer the door, grabbing a robe from the corner where she had left it a few nights previous. The handle was cold to the touch. Evelyn took a deep breath and opened the door.

* * *

_AN: Thank you for your feedback, Readers! I kept my promise on posting in two weeks, yeah? Next chapter should be the same, but no promises. _

_With Lust, _

_Emerald Warden_


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